WHY  ARE  YOU   SO  EAGER?"    (Page  2} 


PRISONERS  OF 
HOPE 

U  €ale  of  Colonial  Firginia 


BY 


MARY  JOHNSTON 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 

HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 


1898 


PS 

.3  1 4  2, 
P7 


COPYRIGHT,  1898,  BY  MARY  JOHNSTON 
ALT,  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


TO    MY    FATHER 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.   A  SLOOP  COMES  IN 1 

II.   ITS  CARGO 15 

III.  A  COLONIAL  DINNER  PARTY 27 

IV.  THE  BREAKING  HEART 40 

V.   IN  THE  THREE-MILE  FIELD 50 

VI.   THE  HUT  ON  THE  MARSH 60 

VII.   A  MENDER  OF  NETS 71 

VIII.   THE  NEW  SECRETARY 86 

IX.   AN  INTERRUPTED  WOOING 91 

X.   LANDLESS  PAYS  THE  PIPER         ....  100 

XI.   LANDLESS  BECOMES  A  CONSPIRATOR      .        .        .  108 

XII.   A  DARK  DEED 117 

XIII.  IN  THE  TOBACCO  HOUSE 129 

XIV.  A  MIDNIGHT  EXPEDITION 137 

XV.  THE  WATERS  OF  CHESAPEAKE       ....  150 

XVI.   THE  FACE  IN  THE  DARK 162 

XVII.   LANDLESS  AND  PATRICIA 173 

XVIII.  A  CAPTURE 185 

XIX.   THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL          .  193 

XX.  WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  is  SMOKED      .        .  205 

XXI.   THE  DUEL 219 

XXII.  THE  TOBACCO  HOUSE  AGAIN       ....  226 

XXIII.  THE  QUESTION 239 

XXIV.  A  MESSAGE 247 

XXV.   THE  ROAD  TO  PARADISE 252 

XXVI.   NIGHT 267 

XXVII.  MORNING 273 

XXVIII.   BREAD  CAST  UPON  THE  WATERS        .        .        .  282 

XXIX.   THE  BRIDGE  OF  ROCK 295 

XXX.   THE  BACKWARD  TRACK  306       » 


vi  CONTENTS 

XXXI.  THE  HUT  IN  THE  CLEARING 315 

XXXII.   ATTACK 326 

XXXIII.  THE  FALL  OF  THE  LEAF 335 

XXXIV.  AN  ACCIDENT 343 

XXXV.   THE  BOAT  THAT  WAS  NOT 349 

XXXVI.   THE  LAST  FIGHT 357 

XXXVII.  VALE  .  3C9 


PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 


CHAPTER  I 

A   SLOOP   COMES   IN 

"  SHE  will  reach  the  wharf  in  half  an  hour,"  • 
The  speaker  shaded  her  eyes  with  a  great  fan  of 
carved  ivory  and  painted  silk.  They  were  beautiful 
eyes  ;  large,  brown,  perfect  in  shape  and  expression, 
and  set  in  a  lovely,  imperious,  laughing  face.  The 
divinity  to  whom  they  belonged  was  clad  in  a  gown  of 
green  dimity,  flowered  with  pink  roses,  and  trimmed 
about  the  neck  and  half  sleeves  with  a  fall  of  yellow 
lace.  The  gown  was  made  according  to  the  latest 
Paris  mode,  as  described  in  a  year-old  letter  from  the 
court  of  Charles  the  Second,  and  its  wearer  gazed 
from  under  her  fan  towards  the  waters  of  the  great 
bay  of  Chesapeake,  in  his  Majesty's  most  loyal  and 
well  beloved  dominion  of  Virginia. 

The  object  of  her  attention  was  a  large  sloop  that 
had  left  the  bay  and  was  sailing  up  a  wide  inlet 
or  creek  that  pierced  the  land,  cork-screw  fashion, 
until  it  vanished  from  sight  amidst  innumerable  green 
marshes.  The  channel,  indicated  by  a  deeper  blue 
in  the  midst  of  an  expanse  of  shoal  water,  was  nar 
row,  and  wound  like  a  gleaming  snake  in  and  out 
among  the  interminable  succession  of  marsh  islets. 
The  vessel,  following  its  curves,  tacked  continually 


2  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

its  great  sail,  intensely  white  against  the  blue  of  inlet, 
bay  and  sky,  and  the  shadeless  green  of  the  marshes, 
zigzagging  from  side  to  side  with  provoking  leisure- 
liness.  The  girl  who  had  spoken  watched  it  eagerly, 
a  color  in  her  cheeks,  and  one  little  foot  in  its  square- 
toed,  resetted  shoe  tapping  impatiently  upon  the  floor 
of  the  wide  porch  in  which  she  stood. 

Her  companion,  lounging  upon  the  wooden  steps, 
with  his  back  to  a  pillar,  looked  up  with  an  amused 
light  in  his  blue  eyes. 

"  Why  are  you  so  eager,  cousin  ? "  he  drawled. 
"  You  cannot  be  pining  for  your  father  when  't  is 
scarce  five  days  since  he  went  to  Jamestown.  Do  the 
Virginia  ladies  watch  for  the  arrival  of  a  new  batch 
of  slaves  with  such  impatience  ?  " 

"  The  slaves  !  No,  indeed  !  But,  sir,  in  that  boat 
there  are  three  cases  from  England." 

"  Ah,  that  accounts  for  it !  And  what  may  these 
wonderful  cases  contain  ?  " 

"  One  contains  the  dress  in  which  I  shall  dance 
with  you  at  the  party  at  Green  Spring  which  the  gov 
ernor  is  to  give  in  your  honor  —  if  you  ask  me,  sir. 
Oh,  I  take  it  for  granted  that  you  will,  so  spare  us 
your  protestations.  'T  is  to  have  a  petticoat  of  blue 
tabby  and  an  overdress  of  white  satin  trimmed  with 
yards  and  yards  of  Venice  point.  The  stockings  are 
blue  silk,  and  come  from  the  French  house  in  Covent 
Garden,  as  doth  the  scarf  of  striped  gauze  and  the 
shoes,  gallooned  with  silver.  Then  there  are  my 
combs,  gloves,  a  laced  waistcoat,  a  red  satin  bodice,  a 
scarlet  taffetas  mantle,  a  plumed  hat,  a  pair  of  clasped 
garters,  a  riding  mask,  a  string  of  pearls,  and  the 
latest  romances." 

"  A  pretty  list !     Is  that  all  ?  " 


A  SLOOP  COMES  IN  3 

"  There  are  tilings  for  aunt  Lettice,  petticoats  and 
ribbons,  a  gilt  stomacher  and  a  China  monster,  and 
for  my  father,  lace  ruffles  and  bands,  a  pair  of  French 
laced  boots,  a  periwig,  a  new  scabbard  for  his  rapier, 
and  so  on." 

The  young  man  laughed.  "  'T  is  a  curious  life  you 
Virginians  lead,"  he  said.  "  The  embroidered  suits 
and  ruffles,  the  cosmetics  and  perfumes  of  Whitehall 
in  the  midst  of  oyster  beds  and  tobacco  fields,  savage 
Indians  and  negro  slaves." 

The  girl  put  on  a  charming  look  of  mock  offense. 
"  We  are  a  little  bit  of  England  set  down  here  in  the 
wilderness.  Why  should  we  not  clothe  ourselves  like 
gentlefolk  as  well  as  our  kindred  and  friends  at 
home?  And  sure  both  England  and  Virginia  have 
had  enough  of  sad  colored  raiment.  Better  go  like  a 
peacock  than  like  a  horrid  Roundhead." 

Her  companion  laughed  musically  and  sang  a  stave 
of  a  cavalier  love  song.  He  was  a  slender,  well-made 
man,  dressed  in  the  extreme  of  the  mode  of  the  year 
of  grace,  sixteen  hundred  and  sixty-three,  in  a  richly 
laced  suit  of  camlet  with  points  of  blue  ribbon,  and 
the  great  scented  periwig  then  newly  come  into  fash 
ion.  The  close  curled  rings  of  hair  descending  far 
over  his  cravat  of  finest  Holland  framed  a  handsome, 
lazily  insolent  face,  with  large  steel-blue  eyes  and 
beautifully  cut,  mocking  lips.  A  rapier  with  a  jew 
eled  hilt  hung  at  his  side,  and  one  white  hand,  half 
buried  in  snowy  ruffles,  held  a  beribboned  cane  with 
which,  as  he  talked,  he  ruthlessly  decapitated  the  pink 
and  white  morning-glories  with  which  the  porch  was 
trellised. 

The  house  to  which  the  porch  belonged  was  long 
and  low,  built  of  wood,  with  many  small  windows, 


4  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

and  at  either  end  a  great  brick  chimney.     From  the 
porch  to  the  water,  a  hundred  yards  away,  stretched 
a  walk  of  crushed  shells  bisecting  an  expanse  of  green 
turf  dotted  with  noble  trees  —  the  cedar  and  the  cy 
press  predominating.      Diverging  from  this    central 
walk  were  two  narrower  paths  which,  winding  in  and 
out  in  eccentric  figures,  led,  on  the  one  hand,  to  a 
rustic  summer-house  overgrown  with  honeysuckle  and 
trumpet-vine,  and  on  the  other  to  a  tiny  grotto  con 
structed  of  shells  and  set  in  a  tangle  of  periwinkle. 
Along  one  side  of  the  house,  and  protected  by  a  stout 
locust  paling  overrun  with  grape-vines,  lay  the  garden, 
where  flowers  and  vegetables  flourished   contentedly 
side  by  side,  the  hollyhocks  and  tall  white  lilies,  the 
hundred-leaved  roses  and  scarlet  poppies  showing  like 
gilded  officers  amidst  the  rank  and  file  of  sober  es 
culents.      Behind  the  house  were   clustered   various 
offices,  then  came  an  orchard  where  the  June  apples 
and  the  great  red  cherries  were  ripening  in  the  hot 
sunshine,  then  on  the  shore  of  a  second  and  narrower 
creek  rose  the  quarters  for  the  plantation  servants, 
white  and  black  —  a  long  double  row  of  cabins,  dom 
inated  by  the  overseer's  house  and  shaded  by  ragged 
yellow   pines.      Along  one    shore  of   this    inlet   was 
planted  the  Indian  corn  prescribed  by  law,  and  from 
the  other  gleamed  the  soft  yellow  of  ripening  wheat, 
but   beyond   the  water   and    away   to   the  westward 
stretched  acre  after  acre  of  tobacco,  a  sea  of  vivid 
green,  broken  only  by  an  occasional  shed  or  drying 
house,  and  merging  at  last  into  the  darker  hue  of  the 
forest.     Over  all  the  fair  scene,  the  flashing  water, 
the  velvet  marshes,  the  smiling  fields,  the  fringe  of 
dai-k    and    mysterious    woodland,    hung    a   Virginia 
heaven,  a  cloudless   blue,   soft,  pure,  intense.      The 


A  SLOOP  COMES  IN  5 

air  was  full  of  subdued  sound  —  the  distant  hum  of 
voices  from  the  fields  of  maize  and  tobacco,  the  faint 
clink  of  iron  from  the  smithy,  the  wash  and  lap  of 
the  water,  the  drone  of  bees  from  the  hives  beneath 
the  eaves  of  the  house.  Great  bronze  butterflies 
fluttered  in  the  sunshine,  brilliant  humming-birds 
plunged  deep  into  the  long  trumpet-flowers  ;  from  the 
topmost  bough  of  a  locust,  heavy  with  bloom,  came 
the  liquid  trill  of  a  mock  bird. 

It  was  a  fair  domain,  and  a  wealthy.  The  English 
man  thought  of  certain  appalling  sums  lost  to  Sedley 
and  Roscommon,  and  there  flitted  through  his  brain 
a  swift  little  calculation  as  to  the  number  of  hogs 
heads  of  Orenoko  or  sweet-scented  it  would  take  to 
wipe  off  the  score.  And  the  girl  beside  him  was 
beautiful  enough  to  take  Whitehall  by  storm,  to  be 
berhymed  by  Waller,  and  to  give  to  Lely  a  subject 
above  all  flattery.  He  set  his  lips  with  the  air  of  a 
man  who  has  made  up  his  mind,  and  turned  to  his 
companion,  who  was  absorbed  in  watching  the  white 
sail  grow  slowly  larger. 

"  How  long,  now,  cousin  ?  " 

"  But  a  few  minutes  unless  the  wind  should  fail." 

"  And  then  you  will  have  your  treasures.  But, 
madam,  when  you  have  assumed  all  the  panoply  your 
sex  relies  on  to  increase  its  charms  't  will  be  but  to 
'  gild  refined  gold  or  paint  the  lily.'  The  Aphrodite 
of  this  western  ocean  needs  no  adornment." 

The  girl  looked  at  him  with  laughter  in  her  eyes. 
"You  make  me  too  many  pretty  speeches,  cousin," 
she  said  demurely.  "  We  know  the  value  of  the  fine 
things  you  court  gallants  are  perpetually  saying." 

"  Upon  my  soul,  madam,  I  swear  "  — 

"Do  you  know  the  amount  of  the  fine  for  swear- 


'6  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

ing,  Sir  Charles  ?  See  how  large  the  sail  has  grown ! 
When  the  boat  rounds  the  long  marsh  she  will  come 
more  quickly.  We  will  soon  be  able  to  see  my 
father  wave  his  handkerchief." 

The  young  man  bit  his  lip.  "  You  are  pleased  to 
be  cruel  to-day,  madam,  but  I  am  your  slave  and  I 
obey.  We  will  look  together  for  Colonel  Verney's 
handkerchief.  How  many  black  slaves  does  he  bring 
you?" 

She  laughed.  "  But  half  a  dozen  blacks,  but  there 
will  be  several  redemptioners  if  you  prefer  to  be 
numbered  with  them." 

"  Redemptioners  !  Ah,  yes  !  the  English  servants 
who  are  sold  for  their  passage  money.  I  thank  you, 
madam,  but  my  servitude  is  for  life." 

"  The  men  my  father  will  bring  may  not  be  the 
ordinary  servants  who  come  here  to  better  their  con 
dition.  He  may  have  obtained  them  from  a  batch  of 
felons  from  Newgate  who  have  been  kept  in  gaol  in 
Jamestown  until  word  could  be  got  to  the  planters 
around.  I  am  sure  I  wish  the  ship  captains  and  the 
traders  would  stop  bringing  in  the  wretches.  It  is 
different  with  the  negroes :  we  can  make  allowance 
for  the  poor  silly  things  that  are  scarce  more  than  an 
imals,  and  they  grow  attached  to  us  and  we  to  them, 
and  the  simple  indented  servants  are  well  enough 
too.  There  are  among  them  many  honest  and  in 
telligent  men.  But  these  gaol  birds  are  dreadful.  It 
sickens  me  to  look  at  them.  Thieves  and  murderers 
every  one  !  " 

"  I  should  not  think  the  colony  served  by  their  im 
portation." 

"  It  is  not  indeed,  and  we  have  hopes  that  it  will 
cease.  I  beg  my  father  not  to  buy  them,  but  he  says 


A  SLOOP  COMES  IN  7 

that  one  man  cannot  stop  an  abuse  —  that  as  long  as 
his  fellow-planters  use  them  he  might  as  well  do  so 
too." 

Sir  Charles  Carew  delicately  smothered  a  yawn. 
"  The  ship  that  brought  me  over  a  fortnight  ago,"  he 
said  lazily,  "  had  a  consignment  of  such  rascals.  It 
was  amusing  to  watch  their  antics,  crowded  together 
as  they  were  in  the  hold.  There  were  two  wild  Irish 
men  whom  we  used  to  have  on  deck  to  dance  for  us. 
Gad !  what  figures  they  cut !  The  captain  and  I  had 
a  standing  wager  of  five  of  the  new  guineas  as  to 
which  of  the  rascals  could  hold  out  longest,  promising 
a  measure  of  rum  to  the  victorious  votary  of  Terpsi 
chore.  When  I  had  lost  a  score  of  guineas  I  found 
that  the  captain  was  in  the  habit  of  priming  his  man 
before  he  came  upon  deck.  Naturally,  being  filled 
with  Dutch  courage,  he  won." 

"  Poor  Sir  Charles !  What  did  you  do  ?  " 

"  Sent  the  captain  a  cartel  and  fought  him  on  his  own 
deck.  There  was  one  man  in  the  villainous  company 
whom,  I  protest,  I  almost  pitied,  though  of  course  the 
rogue  had  but  his  deserts." 

"  What  was  he  ?  " 

"  A  man  of  about  thirty.  A  fellow  with  a  hand 
some  face  and  a  lithe  well-made  figure  which  he  man 
aged  with  some  grace.  He  had  the  air  of  one  who 
had  seen  better  days.  I  remember,  one  day  when  the 
captain  was  bestowing  upon  him  some  especially  choice 
oaths,  seeing  him  clap  his  hand  to  his  side  as  though 
he  expected  to  touch  a  rapier  hilt.  He  was  cleanly 
too ;  kept  his  rags  of  clothing  as  decent  as  circum 
stances  allowed,  and  looked  less  like  a  wild  beast  in  a 
litter  of  foul  straw  than  did  his  fellows.  But  he  was 
an  ill-conditioned  dog.  We  had  some  passages  to- 


8  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

gether,  he  and  I.  He  took  it  upon  himself  to  defend 
what  he  was  pleased  to  call  the  honor  of  one  of  his 
precious  company.  It  was  vastly  amusing.  .  .  .  After 
that  I  fell  into  the  habit  of  watching  him  through  the 
open  hatches.  A  little  thing  provides  entertainment 
at  sea,  Mistress  Patricia.  He  would  sit  or  stand  for 
hours  looking  past  me  with  a  perfectly  still  face. 
The  other  wretches  were  quick  to  crowd  up,  whining 
to  me  to  pitch  them  half  pence  or  tobacco,  but  try 
as  I  would,  I  could  not  get  word  or  look  from  him. 
Sink  me  !  if  he  did  n't  have  the  impudence  to  resent 
my  being  there  !  " 

"  It  was  cruel  to  stare  at  misery." 

"  Lard,  madam  !  such  vermin  are  used  to  being 
stared  at.  In  London,  Newgate,  and  Bridewell  are 
theatres  as  well  as  the  Cockpit  or  the  King's  House, 
and  the  world  of  mode  flock  to  the  one  spectacle  as 
often  as  to  the  other.  But  see  !  the  sloop  has  passed 
the  marsh  and  has  a  clean  sweep  of  water  between 
her  and  the  wharf." 

"  Yes,  she  is  coming  fast  now." 

"  What  is  coming?"  asked  a  voice  from  the  doorway. 

"The  Flying  Patty,  Aunt  Lettice,"  the  girl  an 
swered  over  her  shoulder.  "  Get  your  hood  and  come 
with  us  to  the  wharf." 

Mistress  Lettice  Verney  emerged  from  the  hall,  two 
red  spots  burning  in  her  withered  cheeks,  and  her  tall 
thin  figure  quivering  with  excitement. 

"  I  am  all  ready,  child,"  she  quavered.  "  But,  mark 
my  words,  Patricia,  there  will  be  something  wrong 
with  my  paduasoy  petticoat,  or  Charette  will  not  have 
sent  the  proper  tale  of  green  stockings  or  Holland 
smocks.  Did  you  not  hear  the  screech  owl  last 
night  ?  " 


A  SLOOP   COMES   IN  9 

"  No,  Aunt  Lettice." 

"  It  remained  beneath  my  window  the  entire  night. 
I  did  not  sleep  a  wink.  And  this  morning  Chloe 
upset  the  salt  cellar,  and  the  salt  fell  towards  me." 
Mistress  Lettice  rolled  her  eyes  heavenward  and  sighed 
lugubriously.  Patricia  laughed. 

"  I  dreamed  of  flowers  last  night,  Aunt  Lettice  ; 
miles  and  miles  of  them,  waxen  and  cold  and  sweet, 
like  those  they  strew  over  the  dead." 

Mistress  Lettice  groaned.  "  'T  is  a  dreadful  sign. 
Captain  Norton's  wife  (she  that  was  Polly  Wilson) 
dreamed  of  flowers  the  night  before  the  massacre  of 
'forty-four.  The  only  thing  the  poor  soul  said  when 
the  warwhoop  wakened  them  in  the  dead  of  the  night 
and  the  door  came  crashing  in,  was,  'I  told  you  so.' 
They  were  her  last  words.  Then  Martha  Westall 
dreamed  of  flowers,  and  two  days  later  her  son  James 
stepped  on  a  stingray  over  at  Dale's  Gift.  And  I 
myself  dreamed  of  roses  the  week  before  those  horrid 
Roundhead  commissioners  with  the  rebel  Claiborne  at 
their  head  and  a  whole  fleet  at  their  back,  compelled 
us  to  surrender  to  their  odious  Commonwealth." 

"  At  least  that  evil  is  past,"  said  the  girl  with  a  gay 
laugh.  "  And  ill  fortune  will  never  come  to  me 
aboard  the  Flying  Patty,  so  I  shall  go  down  to  the 
wharf  to  see  her  in.  Darkeih  !  my  scarf !  " 

A  negress  appeared  in  the  doorway  with  a  veil  of 
tissue  in  her  hand.  Sir  Charles  took  it  from  her  and 
flung  it  over  Patricia's  golden  head,  then  offered  his 
arm  to  Mistress  Lettice. 

The  wharf  was  but  a  stone's  throw  from  the  wooden 
gates,  and  they  were  soon  treading  the  long  stretch  of 
gray,  weather-beaten  boards.  Others  were  before 
them,  for  the  news  that  the  sloop  was  coming  in  had 


10  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

drawn  a  small  crowd  to  the  wharf  to  welcome  the 
master. 

The  dozen  or  so  of  boatmen,  white  and  black,  who 
had  been  tinkering  about  in  the  various  barges,  shallops 
and  canoes  tied  to  the  mossy  piles,  left  their  employ 
ments  and  scrambled  up  upon  the  platform,  and  a 
trio  of  youthful  darkies,  fishing  for  crabs  with  a  string 
and  a  piece  of  salt  pork,  allowed  their  lines  to  fall 
slack  and  their  intended  victims  to  walk  coolly  off 
with  the  meat,  so  intense  was  their  interest  in  the  on 
coming  sail.  A  knot  of  negro  women  had  left  the 
great  house  kitchen  and  stood,  hands  on  hips,  chatting 
volubly  with  a  contingent  from  the  quarters,  their 
red  and  yellow  turbans  nodding  up  and  down  like 
grotesque  Dutch  tulips.  The  company  was  made  up 
by  an  overseer  with  a  broadleafed  palmetto  hat  pulled 
down  over  his  eyes  and  a  clay  pipe  stuck  between 
his  teeth,  a  pale  young  man  who  acted  as  secretary  to 
the  master  of  the  plantation,  and  by  three  or  four 
small  land-owners  and  tenants  for  whom  Colonel 
Verney  had  graciously  undertaken  various  commis 
sions  in  Jamestown,  and  who  were  on  hand  to  make 
their  acknowledgments  to  the  great  man. 

They  all  made  deferential  way  for  the  two  ladies 
and  Sir  Charles  Carew.  Mistress  Lettice  commenced 
a  condescending  conversation  with  one  of  the  tenants, 
Darkeih  added  a  white  tulip  to  the  red  and  yellow 
ones,  and  Patricia,  followed  by  Sir  Charles,  walked  to 
the  edge  of  the  wharf,  and  leaning  upon  the  rude 
railing  looked  down  the  glassy  reaches  of  the  water 
to  the  approaching  boat. 

The  wind  had  sunk  into  a  fitful  breeze  and  the 
white  sail  moved  very  slowly.  The  tide  was  in,  and 
the  water  lapped  with  a  cooling  sound  against  the 


A  SLOOP  COMES  IN  11 

dark  green  piles.  In  the  distance  the  blue  of  the 
bay  melted  into  the  blue  of  the  sky,  while  the  nearer 
waters  mirrored  every  passing  gull,  the  masts  of  the 
fishing  boats,  the  tall  marsh  grass,  the  dead  twigs 
marking  oyster  beds  —  each  object  had  its  double. 
On  a  point  of  marshy  ground  stood  a  line  of  cranes, 
motionless  as  soldiers  on  parade,  until,  taking  fright 
as  the  great  sail  glided  past,  they  whirred  off,  uttering 
discordant  cries  and  with  their  legs  sticking  out  like 
tail  feathers.  Slowly,  and  keeping  to  the  middle  of 
the  channel,  the  boat  came  on.  Upon  the  long  low 
deck  men  were  preparing  to  lower  the  sail,  and  a 
portly  gentleman  standing  in  the  bow  was  vigorously 
waving  his  handkerchief.  The  sail  came  down  with  a 
rush,  the  anchor  swung  overboard,  and  half  a  dozen 
canoes  and  dugouts  shot  from  under  the  shadow  of 
the  wharf  and  across  the  strip  of  water  between  it  and 
the  sloop.  The  gentleman  with  the  handkerchief, 
followed  by  a  man  plainly  dressed  in  brown,  sprang 
into  the  foremost ;  the  others  waited  for  their  lading 
of  merchandise. 

Before  the  boat  had  touched  the  steps  the  master 
of  the  plantation  began  to  call  out  greetings  to  his  ex 
pectant  family. 

"  Patricia,  my  darling,  are  you  in  health  ?  Charles, 
I  am  happy  to  see  you  again !  Sister  Lettice,  Mr. 
Frederick  Jones  sends  you  his  humble  services." 

"  La,  brother  !  and  how  is  the  dear  man  ? " 
screamed  Mistress  Lettice. 

"  As  well  as 't  is  in  nature  to  be,  with  his  heart  at 
Verney  Manor  and  his  body  at  Flowerdieu  Hundred." 

The  boat  jarred  against  the  piles  and  the  planter 
stepped  out,  grasping  Sir  Charles's  extended  hand. 

"  Again,  I  am  happy  to  see  you,  Charles,"  he  cried 


12  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

in  a  round  and  jovial  voice.  "  I  have  been  telling  my 
up-river  good  friends  that  I  have  the  most  topping 
fellow  in  all  London  for  my  guest,  and  you  will  have 
company  enough  anon." 

Sir  Charles  smiled  and  bowed.  "  I  hope,  sir,  that 
you  were  successful  in  the  business  that  took  you  to 
Jamestown  ?  " 

"  Fairly  so,  fairly  so.  Haines  here,"  with  a  wave 
of  the  hand  towards  the  man  in  brown,  "had  a  lot 
picked  out  for  me  to  choose  from.  I  have  six  ne 
groes  and  three  of  those  blackguards  from  Newgate  — 
mighty  poor  policy  to  shoulder  ourselves  with  such 
gaol  sweepings.  I  doubt  we  '11  repent  it  some  day. 
The  blacks  come  by  way  of  Boston,  which  means 
that  they  will  have  to  be  cockered  up  considerably 
before  they  are  fit  for  work.  Is  that  you,  Woodson  ? 
How  have  things  gone  on?  " 

The  overseer  took  his  pipe  from  between  his  teeth 
and  made  an  awkward  bow. 

"  Glad  to  see  your  Honor  back,"  he  said  deferen 
tially.  "  Everything  's  all  right,  sir.  The  last  rain 
helped  the  corn  amazingly,  and  the  tobacco 's  prime. 
The  lightning  struck  a  shed,  but  we  got  the  flames 
out  before  they  reached  the  hogsheads.  The  Nancy 
got  caught  in  a  squall ;  lost  both  masts  and  ran 
aground  on  Gull  Marsh.  The  tide  will  take  her  off  at 
the  full  of  the  moon.  Sambo 's  been  playing  'possum 
again.  Said  he  'd  cut  his  foot  with  his  hoe  so  badly 
that  he  could  n't  stand  upon  it.  Said  I  could  see 
that  by  the  blood  on  the  rag  that  tied  it  up.  I  made 
him  take  off  the  rag  and  wash  the  foot,  and  there 
wa'n't  no  cut  there.  The  blood  was  puccoon.  If 
he  'd  waited  a  bit  he  could  'a'  had  all  he  wanted  to 
paint  with,  for  I  gave  him  the  rope's  end,  lively, 


A  SLOOP  COMES  IN  13 

until  Mistress  Patricia  heard  him  yelling  and  made 
me  stop." 

"All  right,  Woodson.  I  reckon  the  plantation 
knows  by  this  time  that  what  Mistress  Patricia  says 
is  law.  Here  come  the  boats  with  the  boxes.  Tell 
the  men  to  be  careful  how  they  handle  them." 

After  a  hearty  word  or  two  to  tenants  and  land 
owners  the  worthy  Colonel  joined  his  daughter  and 
sister ;  and  together  with  Sir  Charles  Carew  they 
watched  the  precious  boxes  conveyed  up  the  slippery 
steps,  the  overseer  shouting  directions,  plentifully 
sprinkled  with  selected,  unfinable  oaths  to  the  panting 
boatmen.  When  all  were  safely  piled  upon  the  wharf 
ready  to  be  wheeled  to  the  great  house,  the  empty 
boats  swung  off  to  make  room  for  others,  laden  with 
the  colonel's  Jamestown  purchases. 

One  by  one  the  articles  climbed  the  stairs,  each  as 
it  reached  the  level  being  claimed  by  the  overseer 
and  told  off  into  a  lengthening  line.  Six  were 
negroes,  gaunt  and  hollow-eyed,  but  smiling  widely. 
They  gazed  around  them,  at  the  heap  of  clams  and 
oysters  piled  upon  the  wharf,  at  the  marshes,  alive 
with  wild  fowl,  at  the  distant  green  of  waving  corn, 
the  flower-embowered  great  house,  the  white  quarters 
from  which  arose  many  little  spirals  of  savory  smoke, 
and  a  bland  and  child-like  content  took  possession  of 
their  souls.  With  eager  and  obsequious  "Yes 
Mas'rs"  they  obeyed  the  overseer's  objurgatory  indi 
cations  as  to  their  disposition. 

There  next  arose  above  the  landing  the  head  of  a 
white  man  —  a  countenance  of  sullen  ferocity,  with  a 
great  scar  running  across  it,  and  framed  in  elf  locks 
of  staring  red.  The  body  belonging  to  this  prepos 
sessing  face  was  swollen  and  unshapely,  and  its  owner 


14  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

moved  with  a  limp  and  a  muttered  curse  towards  the 
place  assigned  him.  He  was  followed  by  a  sallow- 
faced,  long-nosed  man,  with  black  oily  hair  and  an 
affected  smirk  which  twitched  the  corners  of  his  thin 
lips.  Singling  out  his  master's  family  with  a  furtive 
glance  from  a  pair  of  sinister  greenish  eyes,  he  made 
a  low  bow  and  stepped  jauntily  into  line. 

The  third  man  rose  above  the  landing.  Sir  Charles, 
standing  by  Patricia,  laughed. 

"  This  world  is  a  place  of  fantastic  meetings, 
cousin,"  he  said,  airily.  "  Now  who  would  suppose 
that  I  would  ever  again  see  that  chipping  from  a 
London  gaol  I  told  you  of  —  my  shipmate  of  cleanly 
habit  and  unsocial  nature.  Yet  there  he  is." 


CHAPTER  II 

ITS  CAEGO 

THE  afternoon  sunshine  lay  hot  upon  the  house 
and  garden  of  Verney  Manor  —  the  leaves  drooped 
motionless,  the  glare  of  the  white  paths  hurt  the  eye, 
the  flowers  seemed  all  to  be  red.  The  odor  of  rose 
and  honeysuckle  was  drowned  in  the  heavy  cloying 
sweetness  of  the  pendant  masses  of  locust  bloom. 
Down  in  the  garden  the  bees  droned  in  the  vines,  and 
on  the  steps  the  flies  buzzed  undisturbed  about  the 
sleeping  hounds.  Above  the  long,  deserted  wharf 
and  the  green  velvet  of  the  marshes  quivered  the 
heated  air,  while  to  look  upon  the  water  was  like 
gazing  too  closely  at  blue  flame.  From  the  tobacco 
fields  floated  the  notes  of  a  monotonous  many-versed 
chant,  and  a  soft,  uninterrupted  cooing  came  from 
the  dove  cot.  Heat  and  fragrance  and  drowsy  sound 
combined  to  give  a  pleasant  somnolence  to  the  wide 
sunny  scene. 

Deep  in  the  cavernous  shade  of  the  porch  lounged 
the  master  of  the  plantation,  his  body  in  one  chair, 
his  legs  in  another,  and  a  silver  tankard  of  sack 
standing  upon  a  third,  over  the  back  of  which  had 
been  flung  his  great  peruke  and  his  riding  coat  of 
green  cloth,  discarded  because  of  the  heat.  Thin, 
blue  clouds  curled  up  from  his  long  pipe,  and  ob 
scured  his  ruddy  countenance. 

His  shrewd  gray  eyes  under  their  tufts  of  grizzled 


16  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

hair  were  half  closed  in  a  lazy  contentment,  born  of 
the  hour,  the  pipe,  and  the  drink.  The  world  went 
very  well  just  then  in  Colonel  Verney's  estimation. 
His  crop  of  the  preceding  year  had  been  a  large  and 
profitable  one  ;  this  year  it  bid  fair  to  be  still  more 
satisfactory.  During  the  past  few  months  he  had  ac 
quired  a  number  of  servants  and  slaves,  and  his  head 
rights  would  add  a  goodly  number  of  acres  to  his 
already  enormous  holdings  ;  land,  land,  always  more 
land!  being  the  ambition  and  the  necessity  of  the 
seventeenth  century  Virginia  planter.  Trader,  planter, 
magistrate,  member  of  the  council  of  state,  soldier, 
author  on  occasion,  and  fine  gentleman  all  rolled  into 
one,  after  the  fashion  of  the  times ;  Cavalier  of  the 
Cavaliers,  hand  in  glove  with  Governor  Berkeley,  and 
possessed  of  a  beautiful  daughter,  for  whose  favor  one 
half  of  the  young  gentlemen  of  the  counties  of  York 
and  Gloucester  were  ready  to  draw  rapier  on  the  other 
half,  —  Colonel  Verney's  world  was  a  fair  and  stirring 
one,  and  gave  him  plentiful  food  for  meditation  on  a 
fine  afternoon. 

Opposite  him  sat  his  kinsman  and  guest,  Sir 
Charles  Carew.  He  was  similarly  equipped  with  pipe 
and  sack,  but  there  the  resemblance  to  his  host  ended, 
Sir  Charles  Carew  being  a  man  who  made  it  a  point 
of  honor  to  be  clad  like  the  lilies  of  the  field  on  every 
possible  occasion  in  life,  from  the  carrying  a  breach 
to  the  ogling  a  milkmaid.  The  sultry  afternoon  had 
no  power  to  affect  the  scrupulous  elegance  of  his 
attire,  or  to  alter  the  careful  repose  of  his  manner. 
In  his  hand  he  held  a  volume  of  "  Hudibras,"  but  his 
thoughts  were  not  upon  the  book,  wandering  instead, 
with  those  of  his  kinsman,  over  the  fertile  fields  of 
Verney  Manor. 


ITS   CARGO  17 

"  You  have  a  princely  estate,  sir,  in  this  fair,  new 
world,"  he  said  at  last,  in  a  sweetly  languid  voice. 

The  planter  roused  himself  from  considering  at 
what  point  of  his  newly  acquired  land  he  should 
begin  the  attack  upon  the  forest.  "  It  's  a  fair 
enough  home  for  a  man  to  end  his  days  in,"  he  said 
with  complacence. 

"  We  of  the  court  have  very  erroneous  ideas  as  to 
Virginia.  I  confess  that  my  expectation  of  rinding  a 
courteous  and  loving  kinsman,"  a  gracious  smile  and 
inclination  of  the  head  towards  the  older  man,  "  is 
the  only  one  in  which  I  have  not  been  disappointed. 
I  thought  to  see  a  rude  wilderness,  and  I  find,  to  bor 
row  the  language  of  our  Roundhead  friends,  a  very 
land  of  Beulah." 

"Ay,   ay.      D'  ye   remember   what    old    Drayton 


sings  ? 


'  Virginia ! 
Earth's  only  paradise  !  ' 


And  a  paradise  it  is,  with  mighty  few  drawbacks, 
now  that  the  King  has  come  to  his  own  again,  if  you 
except  these  d — d  canting  Quakers  and  Anabaptists, 
and  those  yelling  red  devils  on  the  frontier,  and  the 
danger  of  a  servant  insurrection,  and  the  fact  that  his 
Majesty  (God  bless  him  !)  and  the  Privy  Council 
fleece  us  more  mercilessly  than  did  old  Noll  himself. 
I  verily  think  they  believe  our  tobacco  plants  made 
of  gold  like  those  they  say  Pizarro  saw  in  Peru.  But 
't  is  a  sweet  land  !  Why,  look  around  you  !  "  he  cried, 
warming  to  his  subject.  "  The  waters  swarm  with 
fish,  the  marshes  with  wild  fowl.  In  the  winter  the 
air  rings  with  the  cohonkf  cohonkf  of  the  wild  geese. 
They  darken  the  air  when  they  come  and  go.  There 
in  the  forest  stand  the  deer,  waiting  for  your  bullet ; 


18  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

badgers  and  foxes,  bears,  wolves,  and  catamounts  are 
more  plentiful  than  are  hares  in  England.  You  taste 
pleasure  indeed  when  you  ride  full  tilt  through  the 
frosty  moonlight,  down  the  ringing  glades  of  the  forest, 
and  hear  the  hounds  in  full  cry,  and  see  before  you, 
black  against  the  silver  snow,  a  pack  of  yelling  wolves. 
Then  in  summer  the  woods  are  full  of  singing  birds 
and  of  such  flowers  as  you  in  England  only  dream  of. 
Strawberries  make  the  ground  red,  and  there  are 
wild  melons  and  grapes  and  mulberries,  and  more 
nuts  than  squirrels,  which  is  saying  much  for  the  nuts. 
Everything  grows  here.  'T  is  the  garden  of  the 
world.  And  what  is  there  fairer  than  the  green  of 
the  tobacco  and  the  golden  corn  tassels?  And  the 
noble  rivers,  whose  head  waters  no  man  has  ever 
found,  hidden  by  the  Lord  in  the  Blue  Mountains 
near  to  the  South  Sea !  Sir,  Virginia  is  God's  coun- 
try!" 

"  You  in  these  lowlands  have  no  trouble  with  the 
Indians?" 

"None  to  speak  of  since  'forty-four,  when  Ope- 
chancanough  came  down  upon  us.  The  brush  with 
the  Ricahecrians  seven  years  ago  was  nothing.  They 
are  utterly  broken,  both  here  and  in  Accomac.  Fur 
ther  up  the  rivers  the  devil  still  holds  his  own,  we 
hearing  doleful  tales  of  the  butchery  of  pioneers  with 
their  wives  and  children ;  and  above  the  falls  of 
the  far  west,  in  the  Monacan  country,  and  towards  the 
Blue  Mountains,  is  his  stronghold  and  capitol ;  but 
here  in  the  lowlands  all 's  safe  enough.  There  is  no 
fear  of  the  savages.  Would  we  could  say  as  much  of 
the  servants !  " 

"  Why,  what  do  you  fear  from  them?" 

"  It 's  hard  to  say  ;  but  an  uneasy  feeling  has  pre- 


ITS  CARGO  19 

vailed  for  a  year  or  more.  It 's  this  d — d  Oliverian 
element  among  them.  You  see,  ever  since  his  Ma 
jesty's  blessed  restoration,  gang  after  gang  of  rebels 
have  been  sent  us  —  Independents,  Muggletonians, 
Fifth  Monarchy  men,  dour  Scotch  Whigamores  — 
dangerous  fanatics  all !  Many  are  Naseby  or  Wor 
cester  rogues,  Ironsides  who  worship  the  memory  of 
that  devil's  lieutenant,  Oliver.  All  have  the  gift  of 
the  gab.  We  disperse  them  as  much  as  possible,  not 
allowing  above  five  or  six  to  any  one  plantation,  we 
of  the  Council  realizing  that  they  form  a  dangerous 
leaven.  Should  there  be  trouble,  which  heaven  for 
bid  !  they  would  be  the  instigators,  restless  mischief- 
makers  and  overturners  of  the  established  order  of 
things  that  they  are !  Then  there  are  their  fellow 
criminals,  the  highwaymen,  forgers,  cutpurses  and 
bullies  of  whom  we  relieve  his  Majesty's  government. 
They  are  few  in  number,  but  each  is  a  very  plague 
spot,  infecting  honester  men.  The  slaves,  always  ex 
cepting  the  Portuguese  and  Spanish  mulattoes  from 
the  Indies,  who  are  devils  incarnate,  have  not  brain 
enough  to  conspire.  But  in  the  actual  event  of  a 
rising  they  would  be  fiends  unchained." 

"  A  pleasant  state  of  affairs  !  " 

"  Oh,  it  is  not  so  serious !  We  who  govern  the  Col 
ony  have  to  take  all  possibilities,  however  unpleasant, 
into  consideration.  I  myself  do  not  think  the  danger 
imminent,  and  many  in  the  Council  and  among  the 
Burgesses,  and  well-nigh  all  outside  will  not  allow 
that  there  is  danger  at  all.  We  passed  more  strin 
gent  servant  laws  last  year,  and  we  depend  upon  them, 
and  upon  the  great  body  of  indented  servants,  who 
are,  for  the  most  part,  honest  and  amenable  and  know 
upon  which  side  their  bread  is  buttered,  to  repress  the 
unruly  element." 


20  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  What  will  you  do  with  the  convicts  you  brought 
with  you  this  morning  ?  " 

"Use  them  in  the  tobacco  fields  just  now  when  all 
hands  are  needed  to  weed  and  sucker  the  plants,  and 
afterwards  put  them  to  hewing  down  the  forest.  I 
told  Woodson  to  bring  them  around  to  me  this  after 
noon  when  they  had  been  decently  clothed.  I  always 
give  the  scoundrels  a  piece  of  my  mind  to  begin  with. 
It  saves  trouble." 

"  Do  they  give  you  much  trouble  ?  " 

"Not  on  this  plantation.  Woodson  and  Haines 
are  excellent  overseers." 

The  planter  refilled  his  pipe,  struck  a  light  with  his 
flint  and  steel,  and  leaning  back  amidst  the  fragrant 
clouds,  allowed  his  eyelids  to  droop  and  his  mind  to 
wander  over  a  pleasant  sunshiny  tract  of  nothing  in 
particular. 

Sir  Charles  tasted  his  sack,  adjusted  his  ruffles, 
and  resumed  his  reading.  But  even  the  delectable 
adventures  of  the  Presbyterian  knight,  over  whom  all 
London  was  laughing,  palled  on  such  an  afternoon, 
and  the  young  gentleman,  after  listlessly  turning  a 
page  or  two,  laid  the  book  across  his  knee,  and  with 
closed  eyes  commenced  the  construction  of  an  air 
castle  of  his  own. 

He  was  roused  by  the  sound  of  approaching  foot 
steps  upon  the  shell  path  leading  to  the  back  of  the 
house,  and  by  the  harsh  voice  of  the  overseer. 

"  Here  conie  your  hopeful  purchases,  sir,"  he  said 
lazily. 

The  overseer  turned  the  corner  of  the  house  and 
came  forward  with  the  three  convicts  at  his  heels. 
He  doffed  his  hat  to  the  two  gentlemen,  then  turned 
to  his  charges.  "  Fall  into  line,  you  dogs,  and  salute 
his  Honor ! " 


ITS  CARGO  21 

The  first  man,  he  of  the  long  nose  and  the  twitch 
ing'  lip,  smiled  sweetly,  and  bent  so  low  that  his  fell 
of  greasy  hair  well-nigh  swept  the  steps  ;  the  second, 
with  a  brow  like  a  thunder  cloud,  gave  a  vicious  nod ; 
the  third,  with  as  impassive  a  countenance  as  Sir 
Charles's  own,  bowed  gravely,  and  stood  with  folded 
arms  and  a  quietly  attentive  mien. 

The  planter  gathered  himself  up  from  his  chair 
and  came  forward  to  the  top  of  the  steps,  his  tall, 
corpulent  figure  towering  above  the  men  below  much 
as  his  fortunes  towered  above  theirs. 

"  Now,  men,"  he  said,  speaking  sternly  and  with 
slow  emphasis.  "  I  have  just  one  word  to  say  to  you. 
Listen  well  to  it.  I  am  your  master  ;  you  are  my 
servants.  I  reckon  myself  a  good  master,  it  not  be 
ing  my  way  to  treat  those  belonging  to  me,  whether 
white  or  black,  like  dumb  beasts.  Give  me  obedi 
ence  and  the  faithful  work  of  your  hands,  and  you 
shall  find  me  kind.  But  if  you  are  stubborn  or  re 
bellious,  by  the  Lord,  you  will  rue  the  day  you  left 
Newgate  !  Whipping-post  and  branding-irons  are  at 
hand,  and  death  is  something  closer  to  a  felon  in 
Virginia  than  in  England.  Be  careful !  Now,  Wood- 
son,  what  have  you  put  these  men  to  ?  " 

"  They  '11  go  into  the  three-mile  field  to-morrow 
morning,  your  honor,  unless  you  wish  other  disposi 
tion  made  of  them." 

"  No,  that  will  do.     Take  them  away." 

The  overseer  faced  about  and  was  marching  off 
with  the  recruits  for  the  three-mile  field  when  his 
master's  voice  arrested  him. 

"  Take  those  two  in  front  on  with  you,  Woodson, 
and  send  me  back  the  brown-haired  one." 

The  "  brown-haired  one  "  turned  as  his  companions 


22  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

disappeared  around  a  hedge  of  privet  and  came  slowly 
back  to  the  steps. 

"You  wished  to  speak  to  me,  sir?"  he  said  qui 
etly. 

"  Yes.  You  are  the  man  who  was  tolerably  helpful 
in  the  squall  last  night  ?  " 

"  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  of  some  small  service, 
sir." 

"  You  understand  the  handling  of  a  boat  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Hum.  I  will  tell  Woodson  to  try  you  ,  with  a 
sloop  when  the  press  of  work  in  the  fields  is  past. 
What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Godfrey  Landless." 

"  Chevalier  d'Industrie  and  frequenter  of  the  New 
gate  Ordinary,"  put  in  Sir  Charles  lazily.  "  Of  the 
Roundhead  persuasion  too,  if  I  mistake  not,  —  from 
robbery  in  the  large,  descended  to  thievery  in  the 
small ;  from  the  murder  of  a  King  to  knives  and 
a  black  alley  mouth.  Commend  me  to  these  grave 
rogues  for  real  knaves  !  Pray  inform  us  to  what  little 
mishap  we  owe  the  honor  of  your  company.  Did 
you  mercifully  incline  to  relieve  weary  travelers  over 
Hounslow  Heath  by  disburdening  them  of  their 
heavy  purses  ?  Or  did  you  mistake  your  own  hand 
writing  for  that  of  some  one  else  ?  Or  did  you  woo 
a  mercer's  wife  a  thought  too  roughly?  Or  per 
haps  —  " 

The  man  shot  a  fiery  upward  glance  at  the  slim, 
elegant  figure  and  mocking  lips  of  his  tormentor,  but 
kept  silence.  Colonel  Verney,  who  had  returned  to 
his  pipe,  interposed.  "  What  is  all  this,  Charles  ? 
What  are  you  saying  to  the  man  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing,  sir !      This  gentleman  and  I  were 


ITS  CARGO  23 

shipmates,  and  I  did  but  ask  after  his  health  since 
the  voyage." 

"  Sir  Charles  Carew  is  very  good,"  the  man  said 
proudly.  "  I  assure  him  that  the  object  of  his  solicitude 
is  well,  and  only  desires  an  opportunity  to  repay,  with 
interest,  those  little  attentions  shown  him  by  his 
courteous  fellow  voyager." 

The  planter  looked  puzzled  ;  Sir  Charles  laughed. 

"  Our  liking  is  mutual,  I  see,"  he  said  coolly.  "I 
—  but  what  is  this,  Colonel  Verney  !  Venus  descend 
ing  from  Olympus  ?  " 

Out  of  the  doorway  fluttered  a  brilliant  vision,  all 
blue  and  white  like  the  great  butterflies  hovering  over 
the  clove  pinks.  Behind  it  appeared  the  faded  coun 
tenance  of  Mrs.  Lettice,  and  a  group  of  turbaned 
heads  peered,  grinning,  from  out  the  cool  darkness  of 
the  hall. 

"  Papa !  "  cried  the  vision.  "  I  want  to  show  you 
my  new  dress !  Cousin  Charles,  you  are  to  tell  me  if 
it  is  all  as  it  should  be !  " 

Sir  Charles  bowed,  with  his  hand  upon  his  heart. 
"Alas,  madam!  I  could  as  soon  play  critic  to  the 
choir  of  angels.  My  eyes  are  dazzled." 

"  Stand  out,  child,"  said  her  father  gazing  at  her 
with  eyes  of  love  and  pride,  "  and  let  us  see  your 
finery.  D'ye  know  what  the  extravagant  minx  has 
upon  her  back,  Charles?  Just  five  hogsheads  of 
prime  tobacco!  " 

Mistress  Lettice  struck  in :  "  Well,  I  'm  sure,  brother, 
't  is  much  the  prettiest  use  to  put  tobacco  to,  to  turn 
it  into  lace  and  brocade  and  jewels,  —  much  better, 
say  I,  than  to  be  forever  using  it  to  accumulate  filthy 
slaves." 

Patricia  floated  to  the  centre  of  the  porch  and  stood 


24  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

sunning  herself  in  a  stray  shaft  of  light,  like  a  very 
bird  of  paradise.  The  "  tempestuous  petticoat,"  sky- 
blue  and  laced  with  silver,  swelled  proudly  outwards, 
the  gleaming  satin  bodice  slipped  low  over  the  snowy 
shoulders  and  the  heaving  bosom,  and  the  sleeves, 
trimmed  with  magnificent  lace  and  looped  with  pearls, 
showed  the  rounded  arms  to  perfection.  Around  the 
slender  throat  was  wound  a  double  row  of  pearls,  and 
the  golden  ringlets  were  partially  confined  by  a  snood  of 
blue  velvet.  She  unfurled  a  wonderful  fan,  and  lifted 
her  skirts  to  show  the  tiny  white  and  silver  shoes  and 
the  silken  silver-clocked  ankles.  Her  eyes  shone  like 
stars,  faint  wild  roses  bloomed  in  her  cheeks,  charming 
half  smiles  chased  each  other  across  her  dainty  mouth. 
Such  a  picture  of  radiant  youth  and  loveliness  did  she 
present  that  the  Englishman's  pulses  quickened,  and 
he  swore  under  his  breath.  "  Surely,"  he  muttered, 
"  this  is  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  the  world,  and 
my  lucky  stars  have  sent  me  to  this  No  Man's  Land  to 
win  her." 

"  How  do  you  like  me  ?  "  she  cried  gayly.  "  Is 't 
not  worth  the  five  hogsheads  ?  " 

Her  father  drew  her  to  him  and  kissed  the  smooth 
forehead. 

"  You  look  just  as  your  mother  did,  child,  the  day 
that  we  were  betrothed.  I  could  not  give  you  higher 
praise  than  that,  sweetheart." 

"  And  does  it  really  lack  nothing,  cousin  ? "  she 
cried  anxiously.  "  Is  it  in  truth  such  a  dress  as  they 
wear  at  Court  ?  " 

"Not  at  Whitehall,  madam,  nor  at  Brussels,  nor 
even  at  St.  Germains  have  I  seen  anything  more  point 
device  than  the  dress,  —  nor  as  beautiful  as  the 
wearer,"  he  added  in  a  lower  voice  and  with  a  killing 
look. 


THE  SLOOP'S  CARGO  25 

The  girl's  face  dimpled  with  pleasure  and  innocent, 
gratified  vanity.  She  swept  him  a  magnificent  cour 
tesy,  and  he  bent  low  over  the  slender  fingers  she 
gave  him.  Suddenly  he  felt  them  stiffen  in  his  clasp, 
and  looking  up,  saw  a  curious  expression  of  fear  and 
aversion  pass  like  a  shadow  across  her  face.  She 
spoke  abruptly.  "  That  man !  I  did  not  see  him ! 
What  does  he  here  ?  " 

Sir  Charles  wheeled.  The  convict,  forgotten  by  the 
two  gentlemen,  had  been  left  standing  at  the  foot  of 
the  steps,  and  his  sombre  eyes  were  now  fixed  upon 
the  girl  in  a  look  so  strange  and  intent  as  fully  to 
explain  her  perturbation.  Through  his  parted  lips 
the  breath  came  hurriedly,  in  his  eyes  was  a  mournful 
exaltation  as  of  one  who  looks  from  a  desert  into 
Paradise.  He  stood  absorbed,  unconscious  of  aught 
save  the  splendid  vision  above  him.  For  a  moment 
she  stared  at  him  in  return,  her  eyes,  held  by  his, 
slowly  widening  and  the  color  quite  gone  from  her 
face.  With  a  slow,  involuntary  movement  one  white 
arm  rose,  and  stiffened  before  her  in  a  gesture  of 
repulsion.  The  fan  fell  from  her  hand  upon  the  floor 
with  a  click  of  breaking  tortoise  shell.  The  sound 
broke  the  spell,  and  with  a  strong  shudder  she  turned 
her  eyes  away.  "  Make  him  go,"  she  said  in  a  trem 
bling  voice.  "  He  frightens  me." 

Sir  Charles  sprang  forward  with  an  oath.  "  Curse 
you,  you  dog  !  Take  your  ill-omened  eyes  from  the 
lady !  Colonel  Verney,  do  you  not  see  that  the  fellow 
is  annoying  your  daughter  ?  " 

The  planter  had  fallen  into  a  reverie  born  of  recol 
lections  of  the  Patricia  of  his  youth,  long  laid  in  her 
grave,  but  he  roused  himself  at  the  words  of  his  guest. 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  lie  cried.     "  Annoying  Patricia  ! " 


26  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

He  walked  to  the  head  of  the  steps  and  raised  his  cane 
threateningly. 

"  Hark  ye,  sirrah !  The  servants  of  Verney  Manor, 
white  or  black,  felon  or  indented,  need  all  their  eye 
sight  for  their  work.  They  have  none  to  waste  in 
idle  gazing  at  their  betters.  Begone  to  your  mates !  " 

The  man  who,  at  Sir  Charles's  intervention,  had 
started  as  from  a  dream,  colored  deeply  and  com 
pressed  his  lips,  then  glanced  from  one  to  the  other  of 
the  group  above  him.  There  was  pain,  humiliation, 
almost  supplication  in  the  look  which  he  directed  to 
the  girl  who  had  brought  this  rating  upon  him.  He 
glanced  at  his  master  with  a  countenance  studiously 
devoid  of  expression,  at  Mistress  Lettice  with  indiffer 
ence,  at  Sir  Charles  Carew  with  chill  defiance.  Then, 
with  a  grave  inclination  of  his  head,  he  turned,  and  a 
moment  later  had  disappeared  behind  the  hedge. 


CHAPTER  III 

A   COLONIAL   DINNER   PARTY 

THREE  days  later  the  master  of  Verney  Manor 
gave  a  dinner  party. 

At  Jamestown,  twenty  miles  away,  the  Assembly 
had  just  adjourned  after  a  busy  session.  A  law  de 
barring  that  "  turbulent  people  "  the  Quakers  from 
further  admittance  into  the  colony,  and  providing 
cold  comfort  for  those  already  within  its  doors,  was 
passed  with  acclamation,  as  was  another  against  Ana 
baptists,  and  a  third  concerning  the  hue  and  cry  for 
absconding  servants  and  slaves.  The  selling  rates  for 
wines  and  strong  waters  were  fixed,  a  proper  penalty 
attached  to  the  planting  of  tobacco  contrary  to  the 
statute,  a  regulation  for  the  mending  of  the  highways 
adopted,  a  fine  imposed  for  non-attendance  at  church, 
the  Navigation  Act  formally  protested  against,  the 
trainbands  strengthened,  an  appropriation  made  for 
the  erection  of  new  whipping-posts  and  pillories,  a 
cruel  mistress  deprived  of  the  slave  she  had  mis 
treated,  a  harborer  of  schismatics  publicly  reproved, 
and  a  conciliatory  message  and  present  sent  to  the  up- 
river  Indians  —  when  the  Assembly  adjourned  with 
the  consciousness  of  having  nobly  done  its  duty.  The 
only  measure  upon  which  there  was  not  unanimity  of 
opinion  was  one  proposing  the  erection  of  school- 
houses  at  convenient  cross-roads,  and  the  Governor's 
weight  being  thrown  into  the  balance  against  it,  it 
was  promptly  quashed. 


28  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

The  burgesses  from  the  fourteen  counties  filled  the 
twenty  houses  that  constituted  the  town  to  suffoca 
tion.  Up-river  planters,  too,  had  come  in,  choosing 
the  time  the  Assembly  was  in  session  to  attend  to 
their  interests  in  the  "  city."  Several  ships  were  in 
harbor,  and  their  captains,  professing  themselves  tired 
of  salt  water,  threw  themselves  upon  the  hospitality  of 
their  friends  ashore.  The  crowded  population  over 
flowed  into  the  houses  of  the  neighboring  planters, 
who,  after  the  manner  of  their  kind,  entertained  pro 
fusely,  giving  jovial  welcome  and  good  liquor  to  all 
comers.  There  was  a  constant  jingling  of  reins  along 
the  bridle  paths,  a  constant  passing  of  white-sailed 
sloops  upon  the  river,  as  gentlemen  in  riding  coats 
and  jack  boots,  or  in  laced  coats  and  silk  stockings, 
fared  to  and  fro  between  plantation  and  town.  In 
the  intervals  of  business  the  worthy  burgesses  and 
their  fellow  planters  made  merry.  They  were  good 
times  —  for  king's  men  —  and  it  behooved  every  loyal 
subject  to  follow  (at  a  respectful  distance)  his  Ma 
jesty's  example,  and  get  all  possible  enjoyment  from 
a  laughing  world.  So  there  were  horse-races  and 
cock-fights  and  bear-baitings,  as  well  as  dinners  and 
suppers,  at  which  much  sack  and  aqua  vitae  was  drunk 
to  king,  church,  and  reigning  beauties.  And  if  a 
quarrel  sprung,  full  armed,  from  the  heated  brains 
of  young  gallants,  crossed  rapiers  did  but  add  a  pi 
quancy,  a  dash  of  cayenne,  to  life. 

Popular  with  the  elder  gentlemen  because  of  his 
excellent  Madeira,  quick  wit,  jovial  soul,  and  friend 
ship  with  the  Governor,  and  with  the  younger  by 
virtue  of  being  father  to  Mistress  Patricia  Verney, 
Colonel  Richard  Verney  had  no  difficiilty  in  securing 
a  score  of  guests  for  a  day's  entertainment  at  Verney 
Manor. 


A  COLONIAL   DINNER  PARTY  29 

About  ten  in  the  morning  of  the  appointed  day  the 
guests  began  to  arrive,  some  by  water,  some  on  horse 
back,  Colonel  Verney  meeting  each  arrival  with  a 
stately  bow  and  a  high-flown  speech  of  welcome,  and 
handing  him  on  to  the  hall  where  stood  Sir  Charles 
Carew  and  the  ladies  of  the  household. 

Upon  a  pillion  behind  her  father,  Major  Miles  Car- 
rington,  Surveyor-General  to  the  Colony,  came  Mistress 
Betty  Carrington,  bosom  friend  to  Mistress  Patricia 
Verney.  Her  sweetly  serious  face,  pensive  eyes,  and 
smooth,  dark  hair,  with  her  dress  of  sober  silk  and 
kerchief  of  finest  lawn,  demurely  crossed  over  her 
bosom,  contrasted  finely  with  Patricia's  radiant  beauty, 
decked  in  shimmering  satin  and  rich  lace,  and  height 
ened  by  a  tinge  of  vermilion  upon  the  smooth  cheek, 
and  a  long  black  patch  beneath  the  left  temple.  The 
two  met  like  friends  whom  weary  years  have  parted, 
and  indeed  they  had  not  seen  each  other  for  nearly  a 
week. 

All  the  guests,  save  one,  had  arrived.  Colonel 
Verney  fidgeted,  sent  a  servant  wench  to  look  at  the 
kitchen  clock,  and  dispatched  his  secretary  to  an  up 
stairs  window,  whence  was  visible  a  long  stretch  of 
what  courtesy  called  the  highroad. 

The  secretary  returned  and  whispered  his  master. 
"  God  be  thanked  !  "  exclaimed  the  latter.  "  I  feared 
that  his  machine  had  mired  in  the  Two-Mile  Swamp, 
or  had  toppled  into  a  gully  coming  through  the  Devil's 
Strip.  Gentlemen,  the  Governor's  coach  is  in  sight. 
Shall  we  adjourn  to  the  porch  and  there  await  his 
Excellency  ?  " 

A  mighty  straining,  jingling  and  lumbering  came 
with  the  breeze  down  the  road  and  proceeded  from  a 
pillar  of  dust  which  was  approaching  the  house  with 


30  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

reasonable  rapidity.  Presently  the  road  changed 
from  a  trough  of  dust  into  a  ribbon  of  greensward. 
The  cloud  dissipated  itself,  streaming  away  like  the 
tail  of  a  comet,  and  a  ponderous  and  much  begilt 
coach,  drawn  by  six  horses,  their  manes  and  tails  tied 
with  red  ribbons,  and  outriders  in  gorgeous  livery  at 
the  heads  of  each  pair,  rolled,  or  rather  bumped  into 
sight.  With  a  seasick  motion  it  undulated  over  the 
green  acclivities  of  the  road,  and  finally  drew  up  be 
side  the  great  horse-block  at  the  gate. 

Two  lackeys  sprang  from  their  perch  behind  the 
vehicle,  flung  open  the  door,  and  lowered  a  short  flight 
of  steps.  A  very  stately  gentleman,  richly  dressed, 
with  a  handkerchief  of  point  in  one  hand  and  a  jew 
eled  snuff-box  in  the  other,  descended  the  steps,  pla 
cing  one  shapely  leg  in  its  maroon-colored  stocking 
before  the  other  with  the  mannered  grace  of  the 
leader  of  a  Coranto. 

Colonel  Verney  met  him  with  a  low  bow  and  smil 
ing  face,  after  which  the  two  embraced,  for  they  were 
old  friends. 

"  My  dear  Governor !  " 

"  My  dear  Colonel !  " 

"  I  am  charmed  to  welcome  your  Excellency  to  my 
poor  house." 

"  My  dear  Colonel,  I  am  charmed  to  be  here.  Gad  ! 
the  possession  of  the  only  chariot  in  the  Colony  is  a 
burdensome  honor  !  I  thought  dinner  would  be  over, 
and  the  stirrup  cup  in  order  while  I  was  creeping,  like 
a  snail  with  his  house  on  his  back,  over  these  '  fair 
and  pleasant  roads  '  —  as  I  call  them  in  my  book,  eh, 
Dick  !  But  you  have  a  goodly  company,  I  see  ;  Lud- 
well,  Fitzhugh,  Carey,  Anthony  Nash,  mine  ancient 
enemy  Lawrence,  "Wormeley,  Carrington  our  Puritan 


A  COLONIAL   DINNER  PARTY  31 

convert  and  his  pretty  daughter,  young  Peyton,  and 
that  pretty  fellow,  your  nephew  or  cousin,  is  he? 
Odzooks  !  he  is  much  what  I  was  at  his  age,  begotten 
of  Delilah  and  Lucifer,  hand  of  iron  in  glove  of  vel 
vet,  eh,  Dick  !  I  hear  he  is  hail-fellow-well-met  with 
the  King  and  with  Buckingham  and  Killigrew  and 
their  wild  set.  Ah,  boys  will  be  boys !  '  We  have 
heard  the  chimes  at  midnight,'  eh,  Dick  ?  " 

And  the  Governor  in  high  good  humor  skipped 
up  the  steps  with  the  agility  of  youth,  bent  low  with 
sugared  compliments  over  the  hands  of  his  hostesses 
and  of  Mistress  Betty  Carrington,  and  gave  courteous 
greeting  to  the  assembled  gentlemen,  after  which  the 
company  flowed  back  into  the  grateful  twilight  of  hall 
and  "  great  room,"  where  the  weather,  the  state  of 
the  crops,  and  the  last  horse-race  engaged  them  until 
the  announcement  of  dinner. 

With  a  flourish  of  his  costly  handkerchief,  the 
Governor  offered  his  arm  to  the  young  mistress  of  the 
house,  and  led  the  way  to  the  dining-room,  where  old 
Humfrey,  the  butler,  marshaled  the  guests  to  their 
seats.  Mistress  Betty  Carrington  had  for  her  cava 
lier  Sir  Charles  Carew,  to  whose  honeyed  words  she 
listened  with  a  species  of  awe,  wondering  in  her  inno 
cent  soul  if  all  the  wild  tales  they  told  of  this  very  fine, 
smooth-tongued,  handsome  gentleman  could  be  true. 

Doctor  Anthony  Nash  made  a  long  and  fluent  grace 
wherein  much  latinity  was  aired,  a  neat  allusion  made 
to  the  jus  divinum,  and  an  anathema  hurled  against 
those  "  who  break  down  the  carved  work  of  the  sanc 
tuary."  Then  was  uncovered  the  mighty  saddle  of 
mutton,  reposing  in  the  dish  of  honor,  the  roast  pig, 
the  haunch  of  venison,  the  sirloin  of  beef,  the  breast 
of  veal,  the  powdered  goose,  the  noble  dish  of  sheeps- 


32  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

head  and  bluefish,  and  the  pasty  in  which  was  en 
tombed  a  whole  flock  of  pigeons.  These  pieces  de 
resistance  were  flanked  by  bowls  of  oysters,  by  rows 
of  wild  fowl  skewered  together,  by  mince  pies  and  a 
grand  salad,  while  upon  the  outskirts  of  the  damask 
plain  were  stationed  trenchers  piled  with  wheat  bread, 
platters  of  pease  and  smoking  potatoes,  cauliflower 
and  asparagus,  and  a  concoction  of  rice  and  prunes, 
seasoned  with  mace  and  cinnamon  and  a  pinch  of 
assafcetida.  A  great  silver  salt-cellar  stood  in  the 
centre  of  the  table,  and  smaller  receptacles  of  the 
same  mettle  held  pepper  and  spices.  Silver  flagons  of 
cider  and  ale  were  placed  at  intervals,  the  Madeira, 
Fayal  and  Rhenish  awaiting  upon  the  sideboard  the 
moment  when,  the  cloth  drawn  and  the  ladies  gone,  a 
gentlemanly  carousal  should  be  inaugurated. 

The  company  drew  their  Russian  leather  chairs 
closer  to  the  table,  spread  over  their  silken  knees  the 
fringed  damask  napkins,  and  for  a  space  little  was  to 
be  heard  but  the  sound  of  knife  and  spoon  (forks 
there  were  none),  for  the  morning  ride  had  sharpened 
appetites.  The  servants  passed  from  chair  to  chair  ; 
the  master,  seconded  by  his  daughter  and  sister, 
pricked  his  guests  on  to  fresh  attacks,  pressing  a  third 
slice  of  mutton  on  one,  a  fresh  helping  of  capon  upon 
another,  protesting  that  a  third  ate  as  though  it  were 
a  fast  day,  and  that  a  fourth  drank  as  though  the 
October  were  sea-water. 

When  the  cloth  was  drawn  and  the  banquet  put 
on,  tongues  were  loosened.  The  Governor  quoted 
passages  from  his  "Lost  Lady"  to  Patricia,  lifting 
her  lovely  flushed  face  from  the  carving  of  a  tart 
with  wonderfully  constructed  towering  walls.  Behind 
a  second  turreted  marvel  of  pastry,  Mistress  Lettice 


A  COLONIAL   DINNER   PARTY  33 

and  Mr.  Frederick  Jones  sighed  and  ogled  with  an 
tique  grace.  Sir  Charles  Carew,  fingering  his  cher 
ries,  told  a  piquant  little  court  anecdote  to  Mistress 
Betty  Carrington,  and  was  lazily  amused  at  the  blush 
and  veiled  eyelids  with  which  the  young  lady  received 
it.  Young  Mr.  Peyton,  on  her  other  side,  looked 
very  black. 

The  wine  was  put  on  and  the  toast  to  King  and 
Church  drunk  standing,  after  which  the  ladies  dipped 
their  white  fingers  into  the  basin  of  perfumed  water, 
dried  them  on  the  silver-fringed  napkin,  and  sailed 
to  the  door,  through  which,  after  the  profoundest  of 
courtesies  on  the  one  side  and  the  lowest  of  bows 
upon  the  other,  they  vanished,  leaving  the  gentlemen 
to  wine  and  wassail. 

Colonel  Verney  drank  to  the  Governor ;  the  Gov 
ernor  to  Colonel  Verney ;  Sir  Charles  to  the  au 
thor  of  the  "  Lost  Lady  "  and  the  "  Discourse  and 
View  of  Virginia,"  so  tickling  the  Governor's  vanity 
thereby  that  he  became  altogether  charming.  Mr. 
Peyton  toasted  Mistress  Betty  Carrington,  and  Mr. 
Frederick  Jones,  Mistress  Lettice  Verney,  "fairest 
and  most  discreet  of  ladies."  They  drank  to  Captain 
Laramore's  next  voyage,  to  Mr.  Wormeley's  success 
in  vine  planting,  to  Major  Carrington's  conversion. 
They  drank  confusion  to  Quakers,  Independents,  Bap 
tists  and  infidels,  to  the  heathen  011  the  frontier  and 
the  Papists  in  Maryland,  the  Dutch  on  the  Hudson 
and  the  French  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  —  "  Quebec  in 
exchange  for  Dunkirk !  "  In  short,  there  were  few 
things  in  heaven  or  earth  but  justified  draughts  of 
Madeira. 

The  room  filled  with  a  blue  and  fragrant  mist  pro 
ceeding  from  twenty  pipe-bowls.  Mr.  Peyton  sang  a 


34  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

pretty  song  of  his  own  composing.  The  company  ap 
plauded.  Sir  Charles  Carew,  in  a  richly  plaintive 
tenor  voice,  sang  a  lyric  of  Rochester's.  Several  of 
the  gentlemen  looked  askance  (the  clergyman  had 
left  the  room  with  the  ladies),  but  on  the  Governor's 
crying  out  "  Excellent !  "  they  considered  themselves 
over-squeamish,  and  clapped  loudly. 

Sir  Charles,  being  dry  after  his  song,  drank  to  Hos 
pitality,  —  "A  duty,"  he  said,  smiling,  "  that  you  gen 
tlemen  make  so  paramount  that  you  must  wonder  at 
the  omission  of  '  Thou  shalt  be  hospitable '  from  the 
Decalogue." 

"  Faith,  sir !  "  cried  Mr.  Peyton,  "  God  is  too  good 
a  Virginian  not  to  consider  such  a  commandment 
superfluous." 

The  Governor  commenced  a  story  which  all  present, 
but  one,  had  heard  a  dozen  times.  It  mattered  the 
less,  as  it  was  a  good  one.  Sir  Charles  capped  it  with 
a  better.  The  Governor  told  a  weird  tale  of  Luns- 
ford's  men,  the  "  babe-eating  "  regiment.  Sir  Charles 
recounted  a  little  adventure  of  His  Grace  of  Buck 
ingham  with  a  quack  astrologer,  a  Court  lady,  and  an 
orange  girl,  which  made  the  company  die  of  laughter. 

"  Rat  me  !  but  you  tell  a  story  well,  sir  !  "  said  the 
Governor,  wiping  his  eyes. 

"I  serve  King  Charles  the  Second,  your  Excel 
lency." 

"  And  so  have  to  live  by  your  wit,  eh,  sir  ?  " 

"  Precisely,  your  Excellency." 

"  Emigrate  to  Virginia,  man !  to  the  land  of  good 
eating,  good  drinking,  good  fighting,  stout  men,  and 
pretty  women  —  who  make  angelic  wives."  And  the 
Governor,  who  loved  his  own  wife  with  chivalric  de 
votion,  kissed  a  locket  which  he  wore  at  his  neck. 


A  COLONIAL  DINNER  PARTY  35 

"  Come  to  Virginia  where  we  need  loyal  men  and 
true.  Lord  !  we  all  thought  the  millennium  was  come 
with  the  king,  but  damme !  if  it  does  n't  seem  as  far 
off  as  ever !  Not  that  his  Majesty  is  to  blame,"  he 
added  quickly,  as  though  fearing  that  his  words  might 
be  taken  as  an  aspersion  upon  Charles's  ability  to  con 
duct  the  millennium  single-handed.  "  The  naughty 
spirit  of  the  age  sets  itself  against  the  Lord's  An 
ointed.  The  Puritan  snake  is  but  scotched,  not  killed. 
It 's  the  old  prate  of  freedom  of  conscience,  govern 
ment  by  the  people,  and  the  like  disgusting  stuff  (no 
offense  to  you,  Major  Carrington)  that  makes  the 
trouble  of  the  times  both  here  and  at  home.  I  sigh 
for  the  good  old  days  when,  for  eleven  sweet  years, 
no  Parliament  sat  to  meddle  in  affairs  of  state,  when 
Wentworth  kept  down  faction  and  the  saintly  Laud 
built  up  the  Church  which  he  adorned."  And  the 
Governor  buried  his  woes  in  the  Rhenish. 

"Sir  William  Berkeley's  loyalty  is  proverbial," 
said  Sir  Charles  suavely.  "  The  King  knows  that 
while  he  is  at  the  helm  in  Virginia,  the  colony  is  on 
the  high  road  to  that  era  of  peace  and  prosperity 
which  his  majesty  so  ardently  desires  —  for  his  tax- 
paying  people.  And  I  have  thought  more  than  once 
of  late  that  I  might  do  worse  than  to  dispose  of  my 
majority  in  the  '  Blues,'  bid  the  Court  adieu,  and  ob 
taining  from  his  Majesty  a  grant  of  land,  retire  here 
to  Virginia  to  pass  my  days  on  my  own  land  and  amid 
a  little  court  of  my  own,  in  the  patriarchal  fashion 
you  gentlemen  affect.  Under  certain  circumstances 
it  is  a  course  I  might  possibly  pursue."  He  glanced 
at  his  kinsman,  whose  countenance  showed  high  ap 
proval  of  a  plan  which  dovetailed  nicely  with  one  of 
his  own  making. 


36  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  Can  you  guess  the  '  certain  circumstances  '  which 
are  to  give  us  the  pleasure  of  his  confounded  com 
pany  ?  "  whispered  Mr.  Peyton  to  Mr.  Carey. 

"  An  easy  riddle,  Jack.  Damn  the  insolent,  smooth 
spoken  knave  of  hearts,  and  confound  the  women  ! 
They  all  drop  to  a  court  card." 

"  Not  Mistress  Betty  Carrington.  /She  looks  below 
the  surface." 

"  Humph  !  What  does  she  see  below  thine  ?  An 
empty  gourd  with  a  few  madrigals  and  sonnets,  and 
fine  images,  conned  from  the  '  Grand  Cyrus,'  rattling 
about  like  dried  seeds  ?  " 

"  Hush,  thou  green  persimmon !  the  Governor  is 
speaking." 

The  governor  rose  with  care  to  his  feet.  His  wig 
was  awry,  his  cravat  of  fine  mechlin  under  one  ear. 
Benevolent  smiles  played  like  summer  lightning  across 
his  flushed  face.  He  raised  his  tankard  slowly  and 
with  attentive  steadiness.  "  Gentlemen,"  he  said  in  a 
high  voice,  "  we  have  eaten  and  we  have  drunken. 
Dick  Verney's  wine  is  as  old  as  the  hills  and  as  mellow 
as  sunlight.  It  groweth  late,  gentlemen,  and  some  of 
you  have  miles  to  travel,  and  it  takes  cool  heads  to 
ride  the  '  planter's  pace.'  For  William  Berkeley, 
gentlemen,  Governor  of  Virginia  by  the  grace  of  God 
and  his  Majesty,  King  Charles  the  Second,  it  takes 
more  than  Dick  Verney's  wine  to  fluster  him.  I  call 
a  final  toast.  I  drink  again  to  our  loving  friend  and 
host,  the  worshipful  Colonel  Richard  Verney,  to  his 
beauteous  daughter  and  sister,  to  his  man-servant  and 
his  maid-servant,  his  ox  and  his  ass,  and  the  stranger 
which  is  within  his  gates."  He  smiled  benignly  at  a 
reflection  of  Sir  Charles  in  a  distant  mirror.  "  Gen 
tlemen,  the  devil,  you  see,  can  quote  scripture.  Let 
the  cup  go  roun',  go  roun',  go  rounV 


A   COLONIAL   DINNER   PARTY  37 

The  toast  was  drunk  with  fervor,  and  the  party 
broke  up. 

The  Governor,  with  Colonel  Ludlow  and  Captain 
Laramore,  was  to  sleep  at  Verney  Manor,  and  Mis 
tress  Betty  Carrington  was  left  by  her  father  to  bear 
Patricia  company  for  a  day  or  two.  One  by  one  the 
remainder  of  the  company  rode  or  sailed  away,  those 
who  had  an  even  keel  beneath  them  being  in  much 
better  case  than  their  brethren  on  horseback. 

When  the  last  sail  showed  a  white  speck  in  the 
distance,  Patricia  and  Betty  came  out  upon  the  porch 
and  sat  them  down,  one  on  either  side  of  the  Governor, 
with  whom  they  were  great  favorites.  Colonel  Lud 
low  and  Captain  Laramore  were  at  dice  at  a  table 
within  the  hall,  and  Colonel  Verney  had  excused  him 
self  in  order  to  hear  the  evening  report  from  his  over 
seers.  Sir  Charles  Carew,  very  idle  and  purposeless- 
looking,  lounged  in  a  great  chair,  and  studied  the 
miniature  upon  his  snuff-box.  The  Governor,  whom 
the  wine  had  mellowed  into  a  genial  softness,  a  kind 
of  sunset  glow,  alternately  puffed  wide  rings  of  smoke 
into  the  air,  and  paid  compliments  to  the  young  ladies. 
The  evening  breeze  had  sprung  up,  rustling  the  leaves 
of  the  trees,  and  bringing  with  it  the  sound  of  the 
water.  In  the  western  sky  crimson  islets  forever 
shifted  shapes  in  a  sea  of  gold.  A  rosy  light  suffused 
the  earth.  In  it  the  water  turned  to  the  pink  of  a 
shell,  the  marshes  became  ethereal  and  far  away, 
earth  and  sky  seemed  one.  The  flashing  wings  of 
gull  and  curlew  were  like  fairy  sails  faring  to  and  fro. 

"  If  I  had  wings,"  said  Patricia  dreamily,  her  hands 
clasped  over  her  knees,  "  I  would  fly  straight  to  that 
highest  island  of  cloud.  The  one,  Betty,  that  looks 
like  a  field  of  daffodils,  with  those  beautiful  peaks 


38  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

rising  from  it,  and  the  violet  light  in  the  hollows.  I 
would  set  up  my  standard  there,  Sir  William,  and  the 
island  should  be  mine,  and  I  would  rule  the  fairies 
that  must  inhabit  it,  with  a  rod  of  iron  —  as  you  rule 
Virginia,"  she  ended  with  a  laugh. 

The  Governor  laughed  with  her.  "  You  would 
have  no  such  stiff-necked  folk  to  deal  with,  my  love, 
as  have  I." 

"  No,  they  should  all  be  good  Cavaliers  and  Church 
men  —  no  lloundheads,  no  servants  —  and  if  Indians 
on  neighboring  isles  threatened  we  would  pray  for  a 
wind  and  sail  away  from  them,  around  and  around  the 
bright  blue  sky." 

"  And  when  you  are  gone  to  take  possession  of  your 
castle  in  the  air  what  will  poor  Virginia  do  ?  "  gal 
lantly  demanded  the  governor. 

"  Oh,  she  would  still  exist !  But  I  am  not  going 
to-night.  The  princess  of  the  castle  in  the  air  is  en 
gaged  to  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Virginia  for 
a  game  of  chess.  In  the  mean  time  here  conies  my 
father,  who  shall  entertain  your  Excellency  while 
Betty  and  I  go  for  a  walk.  Come,  Lady-bird." 

The  two  graceful  figures  twined  arms  and  moved 
off  down  the  walk.  Sir  Charles  looked  after  them  a 
moment,  then,  with  a  "  Permit  me,  sir,"  to  the  Gov 
ernor,  he  snapped  the  lid  of  his  snuff-box  and  started 
down  the  steps.  The  Governor  laughed.  "  We  will 
excuse  you,  sir,"  he  said  graciously.  "  Dick,"  to 
Colonel  Verney,  as  the  young  gentleman  hastened 
after  the  ladies,  "  that  fine  spark  is  to  be  your  son-in- 
law,  eh?" 

"  It  is  the  wish  of  my  heart,  William." 

"  Humph !  " 

"  He  has  birth  and  breeding.  His  father  was  my 
good  friend  and  kinsman,  and  as  loyal  a  Cavalier  as 


A  COLONIAL   DINNER   PARTY  39 

ever  gave  life  and  lands  for  the  blessed  Martyr.  He 
died  in  my  arms  at  Marston  Moor,  and  with  his  last 
breath  commended  his  son  to  me.  My  dear  wife  was 
then  expecting  the  birth  of  our  child,  of  Patricia.  I 
can  see  him  now  as  he  smiled  up  at  me  (he  was  ever 
gay)  and  said,  '  If  it 's  a  girl,  Dick,  marry  her  to  my 
boy.'  Well !  he  died,  and  his  brother  took  the  boy, 
and  my  wife  and  I  came  over  seas,  and  I  never  saw 
the  lad  from  that  day  to  this,  when  he  comes  at  my 
invitation  to  visit  us." 

"  Well,  he  is  a  very  pretty  fellow  !    And  what  does 
Patricia  say  to  him  ?  " 

"Patricia  is  a  good  daughter,"  said  the  Colonel 
sedately,  "  and  is  possessed  of  sense  beyond  the  aver 
age  of  womenkind.  She  knows  the  advantages  this 
match  offers.  Sir  Charles  Carew  can  give  her  a  title, 
and  a  name  that 's  as  old  as  her  own.  He  is  a  man  of 
parts  and  distinction,  has  served  the  King,  is  familiar 
with  the  courts  of  Europe.  I  do  not  pin  my  faith  to 
the  tales  that  are  told  of  him.  His  father  was  a  gal 
lant  gentleman,  and  I  am  not  the  man  to  believe  ill 
of  his  son.  Moreover,  if,  as  he  hath  half  promised, 
he  will  come  to  Virginia,  he  will  throw  off  here  the 
vices  of  the  Court,  the  faults  of  youth,  and  become  an 
honest  Virginia  gentleman,  God-fearing,  law-abiding, 
reverencing  the  King,  but  not  copying  him  too  closely 
—  such  an  one  as  thou  or  I,  William.  The  king 
should  give  him  large  grants  of  land,  and  so,  with 
what  Patricia  will  have  when  I  am  gone,  there  will  be 
laid  the  foundation  of  a  great  and  noble  estate,  which, 
please  God,  will  belong  in  the  fair  future  of  this  fail- 
land  to  a  great  and  noble  family  sprung  from  the 
union  of  Verney  and  Carew.  Patricia,  trust  me,  sees 
all  this  with  my  eyes." 

"  Humph  !  "  said  the  Governor  again. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   BREAKING   HEART 

SIR  CHARLES  was  up  with  the  two  girls  before  they 
reached  the  garden  ;  and  they  passed  together  through 
the  gate  and  into  the  spicy  wilderness.  The  dew  was 
falling,  and  as  they  sauntered  through  the  narrow 
paths,  Betty  held  back  her  skirts  that  the  damp  leaves 
of  sage  and  marjoram  might  not  brush  them;  but 
Patricia,  gathering  larkspur  and  sweet-william,  \vas 
heedless  of  her  finery.  At  the  further  end  of  the 
garden  was  a  wicket  leading  into  a  grove  of  mulber 
ries.  The  three  walked  on  beneath  the  spreading 
branches  and  the  broad,  heart-shaped  leaves,  until  they 
came  to  a  tree  of  extraordinary  height  and  girth 
whose  roots  bulged  out  into  great,  smooth  excrescences 
like  inverted  bowls.  Patricia  stopped.  "  Betty  is 
tired,"  she  said  kindly,  "  and  she  shall  sit  here  and 
rest.  Betty  is  a  windflower,  Sir  Charles,  a  little  ten 
der  timid  flower,  frail  and  sweet  —  are  you  not, 
Betty  ?  "  She  sat  down  upon  one  of  the  bowls,  and 
pulled  her  friend  down  beside  her.  Sir  Charles  leaned 
against  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  "  Betty  is  a  little  Puri 
tan,"  continued  Patricia ;  "  she  would  not  wear  the 
set  of  ribbons  I  had  for  her ;  and  that  hurt  me  very 
much." 

"  O  Patricia !  "  cried  Betty,  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 
"If  I  thought  you  really  cared!  But  even  then  I 
could  not  wear  them !  " 


THE   BREAKING   HEART  41 

"  No,  you  little  martyr,"  said  the  other,  with  a  kiss. 
"You  would  go  to  the  stake  any  day  for  what  you 
call  your  '  principles.'  And  I  honor  you  for  it,  you 
know  I  do.  Cousin  Charles,  do  you  know  that  Betty 
thinks  it  wrong  to  hold  slaves  ?  " 

Sir  Charles  laughed,  and  Betty's  delicate  face 
flushed. 

"  O  Patricia !  "  she  cried.  "  I  did  not  say  that !  I 
only  said  that  we  would  not  like  it  ourselves." 

"  'Pon  my  soul,  I  don't  suppose  we  would,"  said  Sir 
Charles  coolly.  "  But,  Mistress  Betty,  the  negroes 
have  neither  thin  skins  nor  nice  feelings." 

"  I  know  that,"  said  Betty  bravely ;  "  and  I  know 
that  our  divines  and  learned  men  cannot  yet  decide 
whether  or  not  they  have  souls.  And,  of  course,  if 
they  have  not,  they  are  as  well  treated  as  other  ani 
mals  ;  but  all  the  same  I  am  sorry  for  them,  and  I 
am  sorry  for  the  servants  too." 

"  For  the  servants !  "  cried  Patricia,  arching  her 
brows. 

"  Yes,"  said  Betty,  standing  to  her  guns.  "  I  am 
sorry  for  the  servants,  for  those  who  must  work  seven 
years  for  another  before  they  can  do  aught  for  them 
selves.  And  often  when  their  time  is  out  they  are 
bowed  and  broken  ;  and  those  whom  they  love  at 
home,  and  would  bring  over,  are  dead ;  and  often  be 
fore  the  seven  years  have  passed  they  die  themselves. 
And  I  am  sorry  for  those  whom  you  call  rebels,  for 
the  Oliverians ;  and  for  the  convicts,  despised  and 
outcast.  And  for  the  Indians  about  us,  dispossessed 
and  broken,  and  —  yes,  I  am  sorry  for  the  Quakers." 

"I  waste  no  pity  on  the  under  dog,"  said  Sir 
Charles.  "  Keep  him  down  —  and  with  a  heavy 
hand  —  or  he  will  fly  at  your  throat."- 


42  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Hark !  "  said  Patricia. 

Some  one  in  the  distance  was  singing :  — 

"  Gentle  herdsman,  tell  to  me 

Of  courtesy  I  thee  pray, 
Unto  the  town  of  Walsingham, 

Which  is  the  right  and  ready  way  ? 

"  Unto  the  town  of  Walsingham 

The  way  is  hard  for  to  be  gone, 
And  very  crooked  are  those  paths 
For  you  to  find  out  all  alone." 

The  notes  were  wild  and  plaintive,  and  sounded 
sadly  through  the  gathering  dusk.  A  figure  flitted 
towards  them  between  the  shadowy  tree  trunks. 

"  It  is  Mad  Margery,"  said  Patricia. 

"And  who  is  Mad  Margery?"  asked  Sir  Charles. 

"  No  one  knows,  cousin.  She  does  not  know  her 
self.  Ten  years  ago  a  ship  came  in  with  servants, 
and  she  was  on  it.  She  was  mad  then.  The  captain 
could  give  no  account  of  her,  save  that  when,  the  day 
after  sailing,  he  came  to  count  the  servants,  he  found 
one  more  than  there  should  have  been,  and  that  one 
a  woman,  stupid  from  drugs.  She  had  been  spirited 
on  board  the  ship,  that  was  all  he  could  say.  It 's  a 
common  occurrence,  as  you  know.  She  never  came  to 
herself,  —  has  always  been  what  she  is  now.  She  was 
sold  to  a  small  planter,  and  cruelly  treated  by  him. 
After  a  time  my  father  heard  her  story  and  bought 
her  from  her  master.  She  has  been  with  us  ever  since. 
Her  term  of  service  is  long  out ;  but  there  is  nothing 
that  could  drive  her  from  this  plantation.  She  wan 
ders  about  as  she  pleases,  and  has  a  cabin  in  the  woods 
yonder ;  for  she  will  not  live  in  the  quarters.  They 
say  that  she  is  a  white  witch ;  and  the  Indians,  who 
reverence  the  mad,  lay  maize  and  venison  at  her 
door." 


THE   BREAKING   HEART  43 

The  voice,  shrill  and  sweet,  rang  out  close  at  hand. 

"  Thy  years  are  young-,  thy  face  is  fair, 

Thy  wits  are  weak,  thy  thoughts  are  green, 
Time  hath  not  given  thee  leave  as  yet, 
For  to  commit  so  great  a  sin." 

"  Margery  !  "  called  Patricia  softly. 

The  woman  came  towards  them  with  a  peculiar 
gliding  step,  swift  and  stealthy.  Within  a  pace  or 
two  of  them  she  stopped,  and  asked,  "  Who  called 
me  ?  "  in  a  voice  that  seemed  to  come  from  far  away. 
She  was  not  old,  and  might  once  have  been  beautiful. 

"  I  called  you,  Margery,"  said  Patricia  gently. 
"  Sit  down  beside  us,  and  tell  us  what  you  have  been 
doing." 

The  woman  came  and  sat  herself  down  at  Patricia's 
feet.  She  carried  a  stick,  or  light  pole,  wound  with 
thick  strings  of  wild  hops,  which  she  laid  on  the 
ground.  Taking  one  of  the  wreaths  from  around  it? 
she  dropped  the  pale  green  mass  into  Patricia's  lap. 

"  Take  it,"  she  said.  "  They  are  flowers  I  gathered 
in  Paradise,  long  ago.  They  wither  in  this  air ;  but 
if  you  fan  them  with  your  sighs,  and  water  them  with 
your  tears,  they  will  revive.  .  .  .  Paradise  is  a  long 
way  from  here.  I  have  been  seeking  the  road  all 
day ;  but  I  have  not  found  it  yet.  I  think  it  must 
lie  near  Bristol  Town,  Bristol  Town,  Bristol  Town." 

Her  voice  died  away  in  a  long  sigh,  and  she  sat 
plucking  at  the  fragrant  blooms. 

Patricia  said  softly,  "  She  talks  much  of  Bristol 
Town,  and  she  is  always  seeking  the  road  to  Paradise. 
I  think  that  once  some  one  must  have  said  to  her, 
'  We  will  meet  in  Paradise.' ': 

"  I  know  little  of  Paradise,  Margery,"  said  Sir 
Charles,  good-naturedly  ;  "  but  Bristol  Town  is  many 
leagues  from  here,  across  the  great  ocean." 


44  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  Yes,  I  know.  It  lieth  in  the  rising  of  the  sun.  I 
have  never  seen  it  except  in  my  dreams.  But  it  is  a 
beautiful  place  —  not  like  this  world  of  trees.  The 
church  bells  are  ever  ringing  there,  .  .  .  and  the 
children  sing  in  the  streets.  It  is  all  fair,  and  smiling 
and  beautiful,  all  but  one  spot,  one  black,  black, 
black  spot.  I  will  tell  you."  She  sunk  her  voice  to 
a  whisper  and  looked  fearfully  around.  "  The  mouth 
of  the  Pit  is  there,  the  Bottomless  Pit  that  the 
Preacher  tells  about.  It  is  a  small  room,  dark,  dark, 
.  .  .  and  there  is  a  heavy  smell  in  the  air,  .  .  .  and 
there  are  fiends  with  black  cloth  over  their  faces. 
They  hold  a  draught  of  hell  to  your  mouth,  and  they 
make  you  drink  it ;  ...  it  burns,  burns.  And  then 
you  go  down,  down,  down,  into  everlasting  blackness." 
She  broke  off,  and  shuddered  violently,  then  burst 
into  eldritch  laughter. 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  what  I  found  just  now  while  I 
was  looking  for  Paradise  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Patricia. 

"  A  breaking  heart." 

"  A  breaking  heart !  " 

Margery  nodded.  "  Yes,"  she  said.  "  I  thought 
it  would  surprise  you.  I  find  many  things,  looking- 
for  Paradise.  The  other  day  I  found  a  brown  pixie 
sitting  beneath  a  mushroom,  and  he  told  me  curious 
things.  But  a  breaking  heart  is  different.  I  know 
all  about  it,  for  once  upon  a  time  my  heart  broke  : 
but  mine  was  soft  and  easy  to  break.  It  was  as  soft 
and  weak  as  a  baby's  wrist,  a  little,  tender,  helpless 
thing,  you  know,  that  melts  under  your  kisses.  But 
this  heart  that  I  found  will  take  a  long  time  to  break. 
Proud  anger  will  strengthen  it  at  first ;  but  one  string 
will  snap,  and  then  another,  and  another,  until,  at 


THE   BREAKING   HEART  45 

last—  "  she  swept  her  arms  abroad  with  a  wild  and 
desolate  gesture. 

"  What  does  she  mean  ?  "  asked  Sir  Charles. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  answered  Patricia. 

Margery  rose  and  took  up  her  leafy  staff. 

"  Come,"  she  said.  "  Come  and  see  the  breaking 
heart." 

"  O  Patricia !  "  cried  Betty,  "  do  not  go  with 
her !  " 

"Why  not?"  asked  Patricia  resolutely.  "Come, 
cousin,  let  us  find  out  what  she  means.  We  will  go 
with  you,  Margery ;  but  you  must  not  take  us  far.  It 
grows  late." 

Margery  laughed  weirdly.  "It  is  never  late  for 
Margery.  There  is  a  star  far  up  in  heaven  that  is 
sorry  for  Margery,  and  it  shines  for  her,  bright, 
bright,  all  night  long,  that  she  may  not  miss  the  road 
to  Paradise." 

She  glided  in  front  of  them,  and  moved  rapidly 
down  the  dim  alley  of  trees,  her  feet  seeming  scarce 
to  touch  the  short  grass,  and  the  long  green  wreaths, 
stirred  by  the  wind,  coiling  and  uncoiling  around  her 
staff  like  serpents.  Patricia,  with  Betty  and  Sir 
Charles,  followed  her  closely.  She  led  them  out  of 
the  mulberry  grove,  through  a  small  vineyard,  and 
into  a  patch  of  corn,  beyond  which  could  be  seen  the 
gleam  of  water,  faintly  pink  from  the  faded  sunset. 

"  She  is  taking  us  towards  the  quarters !  "  ex 
claimed  Patricia.  "  Margery  !  Margery  !  " 

But  Margery  held  on,  moving  swiftly  through  the 
waist-deep  corn.  Betty  looked  down  with  a  little 
sigh  at  her  dainty  shoes,  which  were  suffering  by  their 
contact  with  the  dew-laden  leaves  of  pumpkins  and 
macocks.  Sir  Charles  put  aside  the  long  corn  blades 


46  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

with  his  cane,  and  so  made  a  way  for  the  girls.  He 
felt  mildly  curious  and  somewhat  bored. 

Suddenly  they  emerged  upon  the  banks  of  the  inlet, 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  quarters.  Patricia 
would  have  spoken,  but  Margery  put  her  finger  to  her 
lips  and  flitted  on  towards  the  row  of  cabins. 

Before  them  stretched  a  long,  narrow  lane,  sandy 
and  barren,  with  a  pine-tree  rising  here  and  there. 
Rude  cabins,  windowless  and  with  mud  chimneys, 
faced  each  other  across  the  lane.  Half  way  down 
was  an  open  space,  or  small  square,  in  the  centre  of 
which  stood  a  dead  tree  with  a  board  nailed  across 
its  trunk  at  about  a  man's  height  from  the  ground. 
In  either  end  of  the  board  was  cut  a  round  hole  big- 
enough  for  a  man's  hand  to  be  squeezed  through,  and 
above  hung  a  heavy  stick  with  leathern  thongs  tied  to 
it,  the  whole  forming  a  pillory  and  whipping-post, 
rude,  but  satisfactory. 

It  was  almost  dark.  The  larger  stars  had  come 
out,  and  the  fireflies  began  to  sparkle  restlessly.  The 
wind  sighed  in  the  pines,  and  a  strong  salt  smell  came 
from  the  sea.  Overhead  a  whippoorwill  uttered  its 
mournful  cry. 

The  long  day's  work,  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  was 
over,  and  the  population  of  the  quarter  had  drifted 
in  from  the  fields  of  tobacco  and  maize,  the  boats,  the 
carpenter's  shop,  the  forge,  the  mill,  the  stables,  and 
barns.  Hard-earned  rest  was  theirs,  and  they  were 
prepared  to  enjoy  it.  It  was  supper-time.  In  the 
square  a  great  fire  of  brush-wood  had  been  kindled, 
and  around  it  squatted  a  ring  of  negroes,  busy  with 
bowls  of  loblolly  and  great  chunks  of  corn  bread. 
They  chattered  like  monkeys,  and  one  who  had  fin 
ished  his  mess  raised  a  chant  in  which  one  note  was 


THE   BREAKING   HEART  47 

a  yell  of  triumph,  the  next  a  long-drawn  plaintive 
wail.  The  rich  barbaric  voice  filled  the  night.  A 
figure,  rising,  tossed  aside  an  empty  bowl,  and  began 
to  dance  in  the  red  fire-light. 

The  white  men  ate  at  their  cabin  doors,  sitting  upon 
logs  of  wood,  or  in  groups  of  three  or  four  messed  at 
tables  made  by  stretching  planks  from  one  tree-stump 
to  another.  It  was  meat-day ;  and  they,  too,  made 
merry.  From  the  women's  cabins  also  came  shrill 
laughter.  Snatches  of  song  arose,  altercations  that 
suddenly  began  and  as  suddenly  ceased,  a  babel  of 
voices  in  many  fashions  of  speech.  Broad  Yorkshire 
contended  with  the  thin  nasal  tones  of  the  cockney ; 
the  man  from  the  banks  of  the  Tweed  thrust  cautious 
sarcasms  at  the  man  from  Galway.  A  mulatto,  the 
color  of  pale  amber,  spoke  sonorous  Spanish  to  an 
olive-hued  piece  of  drift-wood  from  Florida.  An  In 
dian  indulged  in  a  monologue  in  a  tongue  of  a  far 
away  tribe  of  the  Blue  Mountains. 

The  glare  from  the  fire  and  from  flaring  pine-knots 
played  fitfully  over  the  motley  throng,  now  bringing 
out  in  strong  relief  some  one  face  or  figure,  then 
plunging  it  into  profoundest  shadow.  It  burnished 
the  high  forehead  and  scalp  lock  of  the  Indian,  and 
made  to  gleam  intensely  the  gold  earring  in  the  ear 
of  the  mulatto.  The  scarlet  cloth  wound  about  the 
head  of  a  Turk  seemed  to  turn  to  actual  flame. 
Under  the  baleful  light  vacant  faces  of  dully  honest 
English  rustics  became  malignant,  while  the  negro, 
dancing  with  long,  outstretched  arms  and  uncouth 
swayings  to  and  fro,  appeared  a  mirthful  fiend. 

The  three  gentlefolk  and  their  mad  conductress 
gazed  from  out  the  shadow  and  at  a  safe  distance. 
Sir  Charles  Carew,  a  man  of  taste,  felt  strong  artistic 


48  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

pleasure  in  the  Rembrandtesque  scene  before  him  — 
the  leaping  light,  the  weird  shadows,  resolving  them 
selves  into  figures  posed  with  savage  freedom,  the 
dancing  satyr,  the  sombre  pines  above,  and,  beyond 
the  pines,  the  stillness  of  the  stars.  Betty  drew  a 
little  shuddering  breath,  and  her  hand  went  to  clasp 
Patricia's.  The  latter  was  looking  steadily  upward  at 
the  slender  crescent  moon. 

"  Do  not  look,  Betty,"  she  said  quietly.  "  I  do  not. 
It  is  a  horror  to  me  —  a  horror.  I  am  going  back," 
she  said,  turning. 

But  she  had  reckoned  without  Margery,  who  caught 
her  by  the  arm.  "  Come,"  she  said  imperiously. 
"  Come  and  see  the  breaking  heart !  "  Patricia  hesi 
tated,  then  yielded  to  curiosity  and  the  insistent  pres 
sure  of  the  skeleton  fingers. 

The  cabins  nearest  them  were  deserted,  their  occu 
pants  having  joined  themselves  to  the  groups  further 
down  the  lane  where  the  firelight  beat  strongest  and 
the  torches  were  more  numerous.  With  no  more 
sound  than  a  moth  would  make,  flitting  through  the 
dusk,  the  mad  woman  led  them  to  the  outermost  of 
these  cabins.  Within  five  paces  of  the  door  she 
stopped  and  pointed  a  long  forefinger. 

"  The  breaking  heart !  "  she  said  in  a  triumphant 
whisper. 

A  man  lay,  face  downwards,  in  the  coarse  and 
scanty  grass.  One  arm  was  bent  beneath  his  fore 
head,  the  other  was  outstretched,  the  hand  clenched. 
It  was  the  attitude  of  one  who  has  flung  himself  down 
in  dumb,  despairing  misery.  As  they  looked,  he  gave 
a  long  gasping  sob  that  shook  his  whole  frame,  then 
lay  quiet. 

A  burst  of  revelry  came  down  the  lane.     The  man 


THE  BREAKING  HEART  49 

raised  his  head  impatiently,  then  let  it  drop  again 
upon  his  arm. 

Patricia  turned  and  walked  quickly  back  the  way 
they  had  come.  Betty  and  Sir  Charles  followed  her ; 
Margery,  her  whim  gratified,  had  vanished  into  the 
darkness  of  the  pines. 

No  one  spoke  until  they  were  again  amidst  the  wet 
and  rustling  corn.  Then  said  Betty  with  tears  in  her 
voice,  "  O  Patricia,  darling  !  there  is  so  much  misery 
in  the  world,  fair  and  peaceful  as  it  looks  to-night. 
That  poor  man  !  " 

"That  'poor  man,'  Betty,"  answered  Patricia  in  a 
hard  voice,  "  is  a  criminal,  a  felon,  guilty  of  some 
dreadful,  sordid  thing,  a  gaol-bird  reclaimed  from  the 
gallows  and  sent  here  to  pollute  the  air  we  breathe." 

"  It  was  the  convict,  Landless,  was  it  not  ?  "  asked 
Sir  Charles. 

"  Yes." 

"  But,  Patricia,"  said  the  gentle  Betty,  "  whatever 
he  may  have  done,  he  is  wretched  now." 

"He  has  sowed  the  wind  ;  let  him  reap  the  whirl 
wind,"  said  Patricia  steadily. 

They  went  on  to  the  house  and  into  the  great  room 
where  the  myrtle  candles  were  burning  softly,  the 
dimity  curtains  shutting  out  the  night.  Mrs.  Lettice 
was  at  the  spinet,  with  Captain  Laramore  to  turn  the 
leaves  of  her  song  book,  and  the  Governor,  with  the 
chess  table  out  and  the  pieces  in  battle  array,  awaited 
(he  said)  the  arrival  of  the  Princess  of  the  Castle  in 
the  Air. 


CHAPTER  V 

IN   THE   THREE-MILE    FIELD 

IN  a  far  corner  of  the  Three-mile  Field  Landless 
bent  over  tobacco  plant  after  tobacco  plant,  patiently 
removing  the  little  green  shoots  or  "  suckers  "  from 
the  parent  stem. 

His  back  and  limbs  ached  from  the  unaccustomed 
stooping,  the  fierce  sunshine  beat  upon  his  head,  the 
blood  pounded  behind  his  temples,  his  tongue  clave  to 
the  roof  of  his  mouth,  —  and  the  noontide  rest  was  still 
two  hours  away.  As,  with  a  gasp  of  weariness,  he 
straightened  himself,  the  endless  plain  of  green  rose 
and  fell  to  his  dazzled  eyes  in  misty  billows.  The 
most  robust  rustic  required  several  months  of  season 
ing  before  he  and  the  Virginia  climate  became  friends, 
and  this  man  was  still  weak  from  privation  and  con 
finement  in  prison  and  in  the  noisome  hold  of  the  ship. 

He  turned  his  weary  eyes  from  the  vivid  gold  green 
of  the  fields  to  the  shadows  of  the  forest.  It  lay 
within  a  few  yards  of  him,  just  on  the  other  side  of 
a  little  stream  and  a  rail  fence  that  zigzagged  in  gray 
lines  hung  with  creepers.  At  the  moment  he  defined 
happiness  as  a  plunge  into  the  cool,  perfumed  dark 
ness,  a  luxurious  flinging  of  a  tired  body  upon  the 
carpet  of  pine  needles,  a  shutting  out,  forever,  of  the 
sunshine. 

Suddenly  he  felt  that  eyes  were  upon  him,  and  his 
glance  traveled  from  the  fringe  of  trees  to  meet  that 


IN   THE   THREE-MILE   FIELD  51 

of  an  Indian  seated  upon  a  log  in  an  angle  of  the 
fence. 

He  was  a  man  of  gigantic  stature,  dressed  in  coarse 
canvas  breeches,  and  with  a  handkerchief  of  gaudy 
dye  twisted  about  his  head.  His  bold  features  wore 
the  usual  Indian  expression  of  saturnine  impertur 
bability,  and  he  half  sat,  half  reclined  upon  the  log 
as  motionless  as  a  piece  of  carven  bronze,  staring  at 
Landless  with  large,  inscrutable  eyes. 

Landless,  staring  in  return,  saw  something  else. 
The  rank  growth  of  weeds  in  which  the  log  was  sunk 
moved  ever  so  slightly.  There  was  a  flash  as  of  a 
swiftly  drawn  rapier,  and  something  long  and  mottled 
hung  for  an  instant  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  Indian, 
and  then  dropped  into  its  lair  again. 

With  a  sudden  lithe  twist  of  his  body,  the  savage 
flung  himself  upon  it,  and  holding  it  down  with  one 
hand,  with  the  other  beat  the  life  out  with  a  heavy 
stick.  The  creature  was  killed  by  the  first  stroke, 
but  he  continued  to  rain  vindictive  blows  upon  it  until 
it  was  mashed  to  a  pulp.  Then,  with  a  serenely  im 
passive  mien,  he  resumed  his  seat  upon  the  log. 

Landless  sprang  across  the  stream,  and  went  up  to 
him. 

"  You  are  bitten  !     Is  there  aught  I  can  do  ?  " 

The  Indian  shook  his  head.  With  one  hand  he 
pulled  the  shoulder  forward,  trying,  as  Landless  saw, 
to  meet  the  wound  with  his  lips ;  but  finding  that  it 
could  not  be  done,  he  desisted  and  sat  silent,  and  to 
all  appearance,  unconcerned. 

Landless  cried  out  impatiently,  "  It  will  kill  you, 
man  !  Do  you  know  no  remedy  ?  " 

The  Indian  grunted.  "  Snake  root  grow  deep  in 
the  forest,  a  long  way  off.  Besides,  an  Iroquois  does 


52  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

not  die  for  a  little  thing  like  a  pale  face  or  a  dog  of 
an  Algo/iquin." 

"  Why  did  you  try  to  reach  the  sting  with  your 
mouth?" 

"  To  suck  out  the  evil." 

"  Is  that  a  cure  ?  " 

The  Indian  nodded.  Landless  knelt  down  and  ex 
amined  the  shoulder.  "  Now,"  he  said,  "  tell  me  if  I 
set  about  it  in  the  right  way,"  and  applied  his  lips  to 
the  swollen,  blue-black  spot. 

The  Indian  gave  a  grunt  of  surprise,  and  his  white 
teeth  flashed  in  a  smile  ;  then  he  sat  silent  under  the 
ministrations  of  the  white  man  who  sucked  at  the 
wound,  spitting  the  venom  upon  the  ground,  until 
the  dark  skin  was  drawn  and  wrinkled  like  the  hand 
of  a  washerwoman. 

"  Good !  "  then  said  the  Indian,  and  pointed  to  the 
stream.  Landless  went  to  it,  rinsed  his  mouth,  and 
brought  back  water  in  his  cap  with  which  he  laved 
the  shoulder  of  his  new  acquaintance,  ending  by  bind 
ing  it  up  with  the  handkerchief  from  the  man's  head. 

A  guttural  sound  from  the  Indian  made  him  look 
up.  At  the  same  instant  the  whip  of  the  overseer, 
descending,  cut  him  sharply  across  the  shoulders.  lie 
sprang  to  his  feet,  the  veins  in  his  forehead  swollen, 
his  frame  tense  with  impotent  anger.  The  overseer, 
having  gained  his  attention,  thrust  the  whip  back  into 
his  belt. 

"  If  you  don't  want  to  get  what  will  hurt  as  bad  as 
a  snake  bite,"  he  said  grimly,  "you  had  best  tend  to 
your  tobacco  and  let  vagroni  Indians  alone.  That 
row  is  to  be  suckered  before  dinner-time  or  your  pork 
and  beans  will  go  begging.  As  for  you,"  turning  to 
the  Indian,  "  what  are  you  doing  on  this  plantation  ? 
Where  's  your  pass  ?  " 


IN  THE   THREE-MILE   FIELD  53 

The  Indian  took  from  his  waistband  a  slip  of  paper 
which  he  handed  to  the  overseer,  who  looked  at  it  and 
gave  it  back  with  a  grudging  —  "  It 's  all  right  this 
time,  but  you  'd  better  be  careful.  It 's  my  opinion 
that  Major  Carrington  lets  his  servants  run  about  a 
deal  more  than  's  good  for  them.  Anyhow,  you  've 
no  business  in  this  field.  Clear  out ! " 

The  Indian  arose  and  went  his  way.  But  as  he 
passed  Landless,  suckering  a  plant  with  angry  energy, 
he  touched  him,  as  if  by  accident,  with  his  sinewy 
hand. 

"  Monakatocka  never  forgives  an  enemy,"  came  in 
a  sibilant  whisper  too  low  to  be  heard  by  the  watchful 
overseer.  "  Monakatocka  never  forgets  a  friend. 
Some  day  he  will  repay." 

The  red-brown  body  slipped  away  through  the  tall 
weeds  and  clumps  of  alder,  like  the  larger  edition  of 
the  thing  that  had  hung  upon  its  shoulder.  The  over 
seer  strode  off  down  the  field,  sending  keen  glances  to 
right  and  left.  He  was  a  conscientious  man  and 
earned  every  pound  of  his  wages. 

Landless,  left  alone,  worked  steadily  on,  for  he  had 
no  mind  to  lose  his  midday  meal,  uninviting  as  he 
knew  it  would  prove  to  be.  Moreover,  he  was  one 
who  did  with  his  might  what  his  hand  found  to  do. 
His  body  was  weary,  and  his  heart  sick  within  him, 
but  the  green  shoots  fell  thick  and  fast. 

"Yon  was  a  kindly  thing  you  did.  Pity  't  was  in  no 
better  cause  than  the  saving  of  a  worthless  natural." 

The  speaker,  who  was  at  work  on  the  next  row 
of  plants,  had  caught  up  with  Landless  from  behind, 
and  now  moved  his  nimble  fingers  more  slowly,  so  as 
to  keep  pace  with  the  less  expert  new  hand. 

Landless,   raising  his  head,  stared  at  a  figure   of 


54  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

positively  terrifying  aspect.  Upon  a  skeleton  body 
of  extraordinary  height  was  set  a  head  bare  of  any 
hair.  Scalp,  forehead  and  cheeks  were  of  one  dull, 
ivory  hue  like  an  eastern  carving.  Upon  the  smooth, 
dead  surface  of  the  right  cheek  sprawled  a  great  red 
R,  branded  into  the  flesh,  and  through  each  large  pro 
truding  ear  went  a  ragged  hole.  For  the  rest,  the 
lips  were  of  iron,  and  the  small,  deep-set  eyes  were 
so  bright  and  burning  that  they  gave  the  impression 
that  they  were  red  like  the  great  letter.  It  might 
have  been  the  face  of  a  man  of  sixty  years,  though  it 
would  have  been  hard  to  tell  wherein  lay  the  sem 
blance  of  age,  so  smooth  was  the  skin  and  so  brilliant 
the  eyes. 

"  The  Indian  needed  help.  Why  should  I  not  have 
given  it  him  ?  "  said  Landless. 

"  Because  it  is  written,  '  Cursed  are  the  heathen 
who  inhabit  the  land.'  " 

Landless  smiled.  "  So  you  would  not  help  an  In 
dian  in  extremity.  What  if  it  had  been  a  negro  ?  " 

"  Cursed  are  the  negroes  !  '  Ye  Ethiopians  also, 
ye  shall  be  slain  by  the  sword.' ' 

"A  Quaker?" 

"  Cursed  are  the  Quakers !  '  Silly  doves  that  have 
no  heart.'  " 

Landless  laughed.  "  You  have  cursed  pretty  well 
all  the  oppressed  of  the  land.  I  suppose  you  reserve 
your  blessings  for  the  powers  that  be." 

"  The  powers  that  be  !  May  the  plagues  of  Egypt 
light  upon  them,  and  the  seven  vials  rain  down  their 
contents  upon  them  !  Cursed  be  they  all,  from  the 
young  man,  Charles  Stuart,  to  that  prelatical,  tyran 
nical,  noxious  Malignant,  William  Berkeley !  May 
their  names  become  a  hissing  and  an  abomination  ! 


IN   THE  THREE-MILE   FIELD  55 

Roaring  lions  are  their  princes,  ravening  wolves  are 
their  judges,  their  priests  have  polluted  the  sanctu 
ary  !  May  their  flesh  consume  away  while  they  stand 
upon  their  feet,  and  their  eyes  consume  away  in  their 
holes,  and  their  tongues  consume  away  in  their  mouths, 
and  may  there  be  mourning  among  them,  even  as 
the  mourning  of  Iladadrimmon  in  the  valley  of  Me- 
giddon !  " 

"  You  are  a  Muggletonian  ?  " 

"  Yea,  verily  am  I !  a  follower  of  the  saintly  Lu- 
dovick  Muggleton,  and  of  the  saintlier  John  Reeve, 
of  whom  Ludovick  is  but  the  mouthpiece,  even  as 
Aaron  was  of  Moses.  They  are  the  two  witnesses  of 
the  Apocalypse.  They  are  the  two  olive  trees  and  the 
two  candlesticks.  To  them  and  to  their  followers  it 
is  given  to  curse  and  to  spare  not,  to  prophesy  against 
the  peoples  and  kindred  and  nations  and  tongues 
whereon  is  set  the  seal  of  the  beast.  Wherefore  I, 
Win-Grace  Porringer,  testify  against  the  people  of 
this  land  ;  against  Prelatists  and  Papists,  Presbyteri 
ans  and  Independents,  Baptists,  Quakers  and  heathen ; 
against  princes,  governors,  and  men  in  high  places ; 
against  them  that  call  themselves  planters  and  trample 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord ;  against  their  sons  and  their 
daughters  who  are  haughty,  and  walk  with  stretched- 
forth  neck  and  wanton  eyes,  walking  and  mincing 
and  making  a  tinkling  with  their  feet.  Cursed  be 
they  all !  Surely  they  shall  be  as  Sodom  and  Gomor 
rah,  even  the  breeding  of  salt-pits  and  a  perpetual 
desolation !  " 

"  Your  curses  seem  not  to  have  availed,  friend," 
said  Landless.  "  Curses  are  apt  to  come  home  to 
roost.  I  should  judge  that  yours  have  returned  to 
you  in  the  shape  of  branding-irons." 


56  PRISONERS  OF   HOPE 

The  man  raised  a  skeleton  hand  and  stroked  the 
red  letter. 

"  This,"  he  said  coolly,  "was  given  me  when  I  ran 
away  the  second  time.  The  first  time  I  was  merely 
whipped.  The  third  time  I  was  shaven  and  this 
shackle  put  upon  my  leg."  He  raised  his  foot  and 
pointed  to  an  iron  ring  encircling  the  ankle.  "  The 
fourth  time  I  was  nailed  by  the  ears  to  the  pilloi-y, 
whence  come  these  pretty  scars." 

Landless  burst  into  grim  laughter.  "And  after 
your  fifth  attempt,  what  then  ?  " 

The  man  gave  him  a  sidelong  look.  "  I  have  not 
made  my  fifth  attempt,"  he  said  quietly. 

They  worked  in  silence  for  a  few  minutes.  Then 
said  Master  Win-Grace  Porringer  :  — 

"  I  was  sent  to  the  plantations,  because,  in  defiance 
of  the  Act  of  Uniformity  (cursed  be  it,  and  the  au 
thors  thereof),  I  attended  a  meeting  of  the  perse 
cuted  and  broken  remnant  of  the  Lord's  people. 
What  was  your  offense,  friend,  for  I  reckon  that  you 
come  not  here  of  your  free  will,  being  neither  a  rustic 
nor  a  fool  ?  " 

"  I  came  from  Newgate,"  said  Landless,  after  a 
patise.  "  I  am  a  convict." 

The  man's  hand  stopped  in  the  act  of  pulling  off  a 
shoot.  He  gave  a  slow  upward  look  at  the  figure  be 
side  him,  let  his  eyes  rest  upon  the  face,  and  looked 
slowly  down  again  with  a  shake  of  the  head. 

"  Humph  !  "  he  said.  "  The  society  in  Xewgate 
must  be  improved  since  my  time." 

They  worked  without  speaking  until  they  had  nearly 
reached  the  end  of  the  long  double  row,  when  said  the 
Muggletonian  :  — 

"  You  are  too  young,  I  take  it,  to  have  seen  service 
in  the  wars?" 


IN  THE  THREE-MILE  FIELD  57 

"  I  fought  at  Worcester." 

"  Upon  which  side  ?  " 

"  The  Commonwealth's." 

"  I  thought  as  much.  Humph !  You  were  all, 
Parliament  and  Presbytery,  Puritan  and  Independent, 
Hampden  and  Vane  and  Oliver,  in  the  gall  of  bitter 
ness  and  the  bond  of  iniquity,  very  far  from  the  pure 
light  in  which  walk  the  followers  of  the  blessed  Ludo- 
vick.  At  the  last  the  two  witnesses  will  speak  against 
yon  also.  But  in  the  mean  time  it  were  easier  for  the 
children  of  light  to  walk  under  the  rule  of  the  Puri 
tan  than  under  that  of  the  lascivious  house  of  Jero 
boam  which  now  afflicts  England  for  her  sins.  But 
the  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  them !  An  east 
wind  shall  come  up,  the  wind  of  the  Lord  shall  come 
up  from  the  wilderness !  They  shall  be  moved  from 
their  places  !  They  shall  lick  the  dust  like  serpents, 
they  shall  move  out  of  their  holes  like  worms  of  the 
earth,  and  be  utterly  destroyed !  Think  you  not  as  I 
do,  friend  ?  "  he  asked,  turning  suddenly  upon  Land 
less. 

"  I  think,"  said  Landless,  "  that  you  are  talking 
that  which,  if  overheard,  might  give  you  a  deeper  scar 
than  any  you  bear." 

"  But  who  is  to  hear  ?  the  tobacco,  the  Lord  in 
heaven,  and  you.  The  senseless  plant  will  keep  coun 
sel,  the  Lord  is  not  like  to  betray  his  servant,  and  as 
for  you,  friend,  —  "  he  looked  long  and  searchingly  at 
Landless.  "  Despite  the  place  you  come  from,  I  do 
not  think  you  one  to  bring  a  man  into  trouble  for  be 
ing  bold  enough  to  say  what  you  dare  only  think." 

Landless  returned  the  look.  "  No,"  he  said  quietly. 
"  You  need  have  no  fear  of  me." 

"  I  fear  no  one,"  said  the  other  proudly. 


58  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

Presently  he  craned  his  long  body  across  the  plant 
between  them  until  his  lips  almost  touched  the  ear  of 
the  younger  man. 

"  Shall  you  try  to  escape  ?  "  he  whispered. 

A  smile  curled  Landless's  lip.  "  Very  probably  I 
shall,"  he  said  dryly.  He  looked  down  the  long  lines 
of  broad  green  leaves  at  the  toiling  figures,  black  and 
white,  dull  peasants  at  best,  scoundrels  at  worst ;  and 
beyond  to  the  huddled  cabins  of  the  quarter,  and  to 
the  great  house,  rising  fair  and  white  from  orchard 
and  garden ;  seeing,  as  in  a  dream,  a  man,  young  in 
years  but  old  in  sorrow,  disgraced,  outcast,  friendless, 
alone,  creeping  down  a  vista  of  weary  years,  day  after 
day  of  soul-deadening  toil,  of  association  with  the 
mean  and  the  vile,  of  shameful  submission  to  whip 
and  finger.  Escape  !  The  word  had  beaten  through 
brain  and  heart  so  long  and  so  persistently,  that  at 
times  he  feared  lest  he  should  cry  it  aloud. 

Win-Grace  Porringer  shook  his  head. 

"  It 's  not  an  easy  thing  to  escape  from  a  Virginia 
plantation.  With  dogs  and  with  horses  they  hunt 
you  down,  yea,  with  torches  and  boats.  They  band 
themselves  together  against  the  fleeing  sparrow.  They 
call  in  the  heathen  to  their  aid.  And  it  is  a  fearful 
land,  for  great  rivers  bar  your  way,  and  forests  push 
you  back,  and  deep  quagmires  clutch  you  and  hold 
you  until  the  men  of  blood  come  up.  And  when  you 
are  taken  they  cruelly  maltreat  you,  and  your  term  of 
service  is  doubled." 

"  And  yet  men  have  gotten  away,"  said  Landless. 

"  Yes,  but  not  many.  And  those  that  get  away  are 
seldom  heard  of  more.  The  forest  swallows  them  up, 
and  after  a  while  their  skulls  roll  about  the  hills,  play 
things  for  wolves,  or  the  deep  waters  flow  over  their 


IN   THE  THREE-MILE   FIELD  59 

bones,  or  they  lie  in  a  little  heap  of  ashes  at  the  foot 
of  some  Indian  torture  stake." 

"  Why  did  you  try  to  escape  ?  "  asked  Landless. 

The  man  gave  him  another  sidelong  look. 

"  I  tried  because  I  was  a  fool.  I  am  no  longer  a 
fool.  I  know  a  better  way." 

"  A  better  way !  " 

"  Hush  !  "  The  man  looked  over  his  shoulder  and 
then  whispered,  "  Will  you  go  with  me  to-night?" 

"  Go  with  you  !     Where  ?  " 

"  To  a  man  I  know  —  a  man  who  gives  good  ad 
vice." 

"  Many  can  do  that,  friend." 

"  Ay,  but  not  show  the  way  to  profit  by  it  as  doth 
this  man." 

«  Who  is  he  ?  " 

"  A  servant  even  as  we  are  servants,  —  a  learned 
and  godly  man,  albeit  not  a  follower  of  the  blessed 
Ludovick.  Listen  !  About  the  rising  of  the  moon 
to-night,  slip  from  your  cabin  and  come  to  the  blasted 
pine  on  the  shore  of  the  inlet.  There  will  be  a  boat 
there  and  I  will  be  in  it.  We  will  go  to  the  cabin  of 
the  man  of  whom  I  speak.  He  is  a  cripple,  and  know 
ing  that  he  cannot  run  away,  the  godless  and  roister 
ing  Malignant  who  calls  himself  our  master  hath 
given  him  a  hut  among  the  marshes,  where  he  mend- 
eth  nets.  Come !  I  may  not  say  more  than  that  it 
will  be  worth  your  while." 

"  If  we  are  caught  — 

"  Our  skins  pay  for  us.  But  the  Lord  will  shut  the 
eyes  of  the  overseers  that  they  see  not,  and  their  ears 
that  they  hear  not,  and  we  will  be  safely  back  before 
the  dawn.  You. will  come  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Landless.     "  I  will  come." 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   HUT   ON    THE   MARSH 

IT  was  shortly  after  midnight  when  the  two  ser 
vants  slipped  along  the  inlet,  silently  and  warily,  and 
keeping  their  boat  well  under  the  shore.  It  was  a 
crazy  affair,  barely  large  enough  for  two,  and  requir 
ing  constant  bailing.  When  they  had  made  half  a 
mile  from  the  quarters,  the  Muggletonian,  who  rowed, 
turned  the  boat's  head  across  the  inlet,  and  ran  into  a 
very  narrow  creek  that  wound  in  mazy  doubles  through 
the  marshes.  They  entered  it,  made  the  first  turn, 
and  the  broad  bosom  of  the  inlet,  lit  by  a  low,  crimson 
moon,  was  as  if  it  had  never  been.  On  every  side  high 
marsh  grass  soughed  in  the  night  wind,  —  plains  of 
blackness  with  the  red  moon  rising  from  them.  The 
tide  was  low.  So  close  were  the  banks  of  wet,  black 
earth,  that  they  heard  the  crabs  scuttling  down  them, 
and  Porringer  made  a  jab  with  his  pole  at  a  great 
sheepshead  lying  perdu  alongside.  The  water  broke 
before  them  into  spangles,  glittering  phosphorescent 
ripples.  A  school  of  small  fish,  disturbed  by  the  oars, 
rushed  past  them,  leaping  from  the  water  with  silver 
flashes.  A  turtle  plunged  sullenly.  From  the  grass 
above  came  the  sleepy  cry  of  marsh  hens,  and  once  a 
great  white  heron  rose  like  a  ghost  across  their  path. 
It  flapped  its  wings  and  sailed  away  with  a  scream  of 
wrath. 

The  boat  had  wound  its  tortuous  way  for  many  min- 


THE   HUT   OX   THE  MARSH  61 

utes  before  Porringer  said  iu  a  low  voice  :  "  We  can 
speak  safely  now.  There  is  nothing  human  moving 
on  these  flats  unless  the  witch,  Margery,  is  abroad. 
Cursed  may  she  be,  and  cursed  those  who  give  her 
shelter  and  food  and  raiment  and  lay  offerings  at  her 
door,  for  surely  it  is  written,  '  Thou  shalt  not  suffer 
a  witch  to  live.' ' 

"  Is  there  anything  a  Muggletonian  will  not  curse  ?  " 
asked  Landless. 

"  Yea,"  answered  the  other  complacently.  "  There 
are  ourselves,  the  salt  of  the  earth.  There  are  a  thou 
sand  or  more  of  us." 

"  And  the  remainder  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
are  reprobate  and  doomed  ?  " 

"  Yea,  verily,  they  shall  be  as  the  burning  of  lime, 
as  thorns  cut  up  will  they  be  burned  in  the  fire." 

"  Then  why  have  you  to  do  with  me,  and  with  the 
man  to  whom  we  are  going?" 

"  Because  it  is  written :  '  Make  ye  friends  of  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness  ; '  and  moreover  there  be 
degrees  even  in  hell  fire.  I  do  not  place  you,  who 
have  some  inkling  of  the  truth,  nor  the  Independents 
and  Fifth  Monarchy  men  (as  for  the  Quakers  they 
shall  be  utterly  damned)  in  the  furnace  seven  times 
heated  which  is  reserved  for  the  bigoted  and  bloody 
Prelatists  who  rule  the  land,  swearing  strange  oaths, 
foining  with  the  sword,  and  delighting  in  vain  apparel ; 
keeping  their  feast  days  and  their  new  moons  and 
their  solemn  festivals.  They  are  the  rejoicing  city 
that  dwells  carelessly,  that  says  in  her  heart,  '  I  am, 
and  there  is  none  beside  me.'  The  day  cometh  when 
they  shall  be  broken  as  the  breaking  of  a  potter's  ves 
sel,  yea,  they  shall  be  violently  tossed  like  a  ball  into 
a  far  country." 


62  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Here  they  struck  a  snag,  well-nigh  capsizing  the 
boat.  When  she  righted,  and  Landless  had  bailed 
her  out  with  a  gourd,  they  proceeded  in  silence.  Land 
less  was  in  no  mood  for  speech.  He  did  not  know 
where  they  were  going,  nor  for  what  purpose,  nor  did 
he  greatly  care.  He  meant  to  escape,  and  that  as 
soon  as  his  strength  should  be  recovered  and  he  could 
obtain  some  knowledge  of  the  country,  and  he  meant 
to  take  no  one  into  his  counsel,  not  the  Muggletonian, 
whose  own  attempts  had  ended  so  disastrously,  nor  the 
'  man  who  gave  good  advice.'  As  to  this  midnight 
expedition  he  was  largely  indifferent.  But  it  was 
something  to  escape  from  the  stifling  atmosphere  of 
the  cabin  where  he  had  tossed  from  side  to  side,  listen 
ing  to  the  heavy  breathing  of  the  convict,  Turk,  and 
peasant  lad  with  whom  he  was  quartered,  to  the  silver 
peace  of  moon-flooded  marsh  and  lapping  water. 

They  made  another  turn,  and  in  front  of  them 
shone  out  a  light,  gleaming  dully  like  a  will-of-the- 
wisp.  It  looked  close  at  hand,  but  the  creek  turned 
upon  itself,  coiled  and  writhed  through  the  marsh,  and 
trebled  the  distance. 

The  Muggletonian  rested  on  his  oar,  and  turned  to 
Landless. 

"  Yonder  is  our  bourne,"  he  said  gravely.  "  But  I 
have  a  word  to  say  to  you,  friend,  before  we  reach  it. 
If,  to  curry  favor  with  the  uncircumcised  Philistines 
who  set  themselves  over  us,  thou  speakest  of  aught 
thou  mayest  see  or  hear  there  to-night,  may  the  Lord 
wither  thy  tongue  within  thy  mouth,  may  he  smite 
thee  with  blindness,  may  he  bring  thee  quick  into  the 
pit !  And  if  not  the  Lord,  then  will  I,  AVin-Grace 
Porringer,  rise  and  smite  thee  !  " 

"You  may  spare  your  invectives,"  said  Landless 
coldly.  "  I  am  no  traitor." 


THE   HUT  ON   THE   MARSH  63 

"  Nay,  friend,"  said  the  other  in  a  milder  tone.  "  I 
thought  it  not  of  thee,  or  I  had  not  brought  thee 
thither." 

He  shoved  the  nose  of  the  boat  into  the  shore,  and 
caught  at  a  stake,  rising,  water-soaked  and  rotten, 
from  below  the  bank.  Landless  threw  him  the  looped 
end  of  a  rope,  and  together  they  made  the  boat  fast, 
then  scrambled  up  the  three  feet  of  fat,  sliding  earth 
to  the  level  above  where  the  ground  was  dry,  none 
but  the  highest  of  tides  ever  reaching  it.  Fifty  yards 
away  rose  a  low  hut.  It  stood  close  to  another  bend 
in  the  creek,  and  before  it  were  several  boats,  tied  to 
stakes,  and  softly  rubbing  their  sides  together.  The 
hut  had  no  window,  but  there  were  interstices  between 
the  logs  through  which  the  light  gleamed  redly. 

When  the  two  men  had  reached  it,  the  Muggleto- 
nian  knocked  upon  the  heavy  door,  after  a  peculiar 
fashion,  striking  it  four  times  in  all.  There  was  a 
shuffling  sound  within,  and  (Landless  thought)  two 
voices  ceased  speaking.  Then  some  one  said  in  a  low 
voice  and  close  to  the  door  :  "  Who  is  it  ?  " 

"  The  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon,"  answered 
the  Muggletonian. 

A  bar  fell  from  the  door,  and  it  swung  slowly  in 
wards. 

"Enter,  friends,"  said  a  quiet  voice.  Landless, 
stooping  his  head,  crossed  the  threshold,  and  found 
himself  in  the  presence  of  a  man  with  a  high,  white 
forehead  and  a  grave,  sweet  face,  who,  leaning  on  a 
stick,  and  dragging  one  foot  behind  him,  limped  back 
to  the  settle  from  which  he  had  risen,  and  fell  to  work 
upon  a  broken  net  as  calmly  as  if  he  were  alone.  Be 
sides  themselves  he  was  the  only  inmate  of  the  room. 

A  pine  torch,  stuck  into  a  cleft  in  the  table,  cast  a 


64  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

red  and  flickering  light  over  a  rude  interior,  furnished 
with  the  table,  the  settle,  a  chest  and  a  straw  pallet. 
From  the  walls  and  rafters  hung  nets,  torn  or  mended. 
In  one  corner  was  a  great  heap  of  dingy  sail,  in  an 
other  a  sheaf  of  oars,  and  a  third  was  wholly  in  dark 
ness.  Lying  about  the  earthen  floor  were  several 
small  casks  to  which  the  man  motioned  as  seats. 

Leaving  Landless  near  the  door,  Win-Grace  Por 
ringer  dragged  a  keg  to  the  side  of  the  settle,  and  sit 
ting  down  upon  it,  approached  his  death  mask  of  a 
face  close  to  the  face  of  the  mender  of  nets,  and 
commenced  a  whispered  conversation.  To  Landless, 
awaiting  rather  listlessly  the  outcome  of  this  nocturnal 
adventure,  came  now  and  then  a  broken  sentence. 
"  He  hath  not  the  look  of  a  criminal,  but  —  "  Of 
Puritan  breeding,  sayest  thou?"  "We  need  young 
blood."  Then  after  prolonged  whispering,  "No  trai 
tor,  at  least." 

At  length  the  Muggletonian  arose  and  came  to 
wards  Landless.  "  My  friend  would  speak  with  you 
alone,"  he  said,  "I  will  stand  guard  outside."  He 
went  out,  closing  the  door  behind  him. 

The  mender  of  nets  beckoned  Landless.  "  Will 
you  come  nearer  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  quiet  refined  voice 
that  was  not  without  a  ring  of  power.  "  As  you  see, 
I  am  lame,  and  I  cannot  move  without  pain." 

Landless  came  and  sat  down  beside  the  table,  rest 
ing  his  elbow  upon  the  wood,  and  his  chin  upon  his 
hand.  The  mender  of  nets  put  down  his  work,  and 
the  two  measured  each  other  in  silence. 

Landless  saw  a  man  of  middle  age  who  looked  like 
a  scholar,  but  who  might  have  been  a  soldier ;  a  man 
with  a  certain  strong,  bright  sweetness  of  look  in  a 
spare,  worn  face,  and  underlying  the  sweetness  a  still 


THE   HUT  ON   THE  MARSH  65 

and  deadly  determination.  The  mender  of  nets  saw, 
in  his  turn,  a  figure  lithe  and  straight  as  an  Indian's, 
a  well-poised  head,  and  a  handsome  face  set  in  one 
fixed  expression  of  proud  endurance.  A  determined 
face,  too,  with  dark,  resolute  eyes  and  strong  mouth, 
the  face  of  a  man  who  has  done  and  suffered  much, 
and  who  knows  that  he  will  both  do  and  suffer  more. 

"  I  am  told,"  said  the  mender  of  nets,  "  that  you 
are  newly  come  to  the  plantations." 

"  I  was  brought  by  the  ship  God-Speed  a  month 
ago." 

"  You  did  not  come  as  an  indented  servant  ?  " 

Landless  reddened.     "  No." 

"  Nor  as  a  martyr  to  principle,  a  victim  of  that  most 
iniquitous  and  tyrannical  Act  of  Uniformity  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Nor  as  one  of  those  whom  they  call  Oliverians  ?  " 

"No." 

The  mender  of  nets  tapped  softly  against  the  table 
with  his  thin,  white  fingers.  Landless  said  coldly :  — 

"  These  are  idle  questions.  The  man  who  brought 
me  here  hath  told  you  that  I  am  a  convict." 

The  other  looked  at  him  keenly.  "  I  have  heard 
convicts  talk  before  this.  Why  do  you  not  assert  your 
innocence  ?  " 

"  Who  would  believe  me  if  I  did  ?  " 

There  was  a  silence.  Landless,  raising  his  eyes, 
met  those  of  the  mender  of  nets,  large,  luminous, 
gravely  tender,  and  reading  him  like  a  book. 

"  I  will  believe  you,"  said  the  mender  of  nets. 

"Then,  as  God  is  above  us,"  said  the  other  sol 
emnly,  "  I  did  not  do  the  thing  !  And  He  knows  that 
I  thank  you,  sir,  for  your  trust.  I  have  not  found 
another  —  " 


66  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  I  know,  lad,  I  know !     How  was  it  ?  " 

"  I  was  a  Commonwealth's  man.  My  father  was 
dead,  my  kindred  attainted,  and  I  had  a  powerful 
enemy.  I  was  caught  in  a  net  of  circumstance.  And 
Morton  was  my  judge." 

"  Humph !  the  marvel  is  that  you  ever  got  nearer 
to  the  plantations  than  Tyburn.  Your  name  is  —  " 

"  Godfrey  Landless." 

"Landless!  Once  I  knew  —  and  loved  —  a  "War- 
ham  Landless  —  a  brave  soldier,  a  gallant  gentleman, 
a  true  Christian.  He  fell  at  Worcester." 

"  He  was  my  father." 

The  mender  of  nets  covered  his  eyes  with  his  hand. 
"  O  Lord !  how  wonderful  are  thy  ways !  "  he  said  be 
neath  his  breath,  then  aloud,  "  Lad,  lad,  I  cannot 
wholly  sorrow  to  see  you  here.  AVise  in  counsel,  bold 
in  action,  patient,  farseeing,  brave,  was  thy  father, 
and  I  think  thou  hast  his  spirit.  Thou  hast  his  eyes, 
now  that  I  look  at  thee  more  closely.  I  have  prayed 
for  such  a  man." 

"  I  am  glad  you  knew  my  father,"  said  Landless 
simply. 

After  a  long  silence,  in  which  the  minds  of  both  had 
gone  back  to  other  days,  the  mender  of  nets  spoke 
gravely. 

"  You  have  no  cause  to  love  the  present  govern 
ment  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Landless  grimly. 

"  You  were  heart  and  hand  for  the  Common 
wealth  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  You  mean  to  escape  from  this  bondage  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

The  mender  of  nets  took  from  his  bosom  a  little 


THE   HUT  ON  THE  MARSH  67 

worn  book.  "  Will  you  swear  upon  this  that  you  will 
never  reveal  what  I  am  about  to  say  to  you,  save  to 
such  persons  as  I  shall  designate  ?  For  myself  I  would 
take  your  simple  word,  for  we  are  both  gentlemen, 
but  other  lives  than  mine  hang  in  the  balance." 

Landless  touched  the  book  with  his  lips.  "  I  swear," 
he  said. 

The  man  brought  his  serene,  white  face  nearer. 

"  What  would  you  have  given,"  he  asked  solemnly, 
"  for  the  cause  for  which  your  father  died  ?  " 

"  My  life,"  said  Landless. 

"  Would  you  give  it  still  ?  " 

"  A  worthless  gift,"  said  Landless  bitterly.  "  Yea, 
I  would  give  it,  but  the  cause  is  dead." 

The  other  shook  his  head.  "  The  cause  of  the 
just  man  dieth  not." 

There  was  a  pause  broken  by  the  mender  of  nets. 

"  Thou  art  no  willing  slave,  I  trow.  The  thought 
of  escape  is  ever  with  thee." 

"  I  shall  escape,"  said  Landless  deliberately.  "  And 
if  they  track  me  they  shall  not  take  me  alive." 

The  mender  of  nets  gave  a  melancholy  smile. 
"  They  would  track  you,  never  fear  ! "  He  leaned  for 
ward  and  touched  Landless  with  his  hand.  "  What 
if  I  show  you  a  better  way  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  whisper. 

"  What  way  ?  " 

"  A  way  to  recover  your  liberty,  and  with  it,  the 
liberty  of  downtrodden  brethren.  A  way  to  raise 
the  banner  of  the  Commonwealth  and  to  put  down  the 
Stuart." 

Landless  stared.  "  A  miserable  hut,"  he  said,  "  in 
the  midst  of  a  desolate  Virginia  marsh,  and  within  it, 
a  brace  of  slaves,  the  one  a  cripple,  the  other  a  con 
vict,  —  and  Charles  Stuart  on  his  throne  in  White- 


68  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

hall !  Friend,  this  dismal  place  hath  turned  your 
wits  ! " 

The  other  smiled.  "  My  wits  are  sound,"  he  said, 
"  as  sound  as  they  were  upon  that  day  when  I  gave 
my  voice  for  the  death  (a  sad  necessity !)  of  this 
young  man's  father.  And  I  do  not  think  to  shake 
England,  —  I  speak  of  Virginia." 

"  Of  Virginia !" 

"  Yea,  of  this  goodly  land,  a  garden  spot,  a  new 
earth  where  should  be  planted  the  seeds  of  a  mighty 
nation,  strong  in  justice  and  simple  right,  wise,  tem 
perate,  brave ;  an  enlightened  people,  serving  God  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  not  with  the  slavish  observance  of 
prelatist  and  papist,  nor  with  the  indecent  familiarity 
of  the  Independent ;  loyal  to  their  governors,  but 
exercising  the  God-given  right  of  choosing  those 
who  are  to  rule  over  them  ;  a  people  amongst  whom 
liberty  shall  walk  unveiled,  and  to  whom  Astrrea 
shall  come  again ;  a  people  as  free  as  the  eagle  I 
watched  this  morning,  soaring  higher  and  ever  higher, 
strongly  and  proudly,  rejoicing  in  its  progress  heaven 
ward." 

"  In  other  words,  a  republic,"  said  Landless  dryly. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  answered  the  other  with  shining,  un 
seeing  eyes.  "It  is  a  dream  we  dreamed  ten  years 
ago,  I  and  Vane  and  Sidney  and  Marten  and  many 
others,  —  but  Oliver  rudely  wakened  us.  Then  it  was 
by  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  and  it  was  for  England. 
Now,  on  the  shores  of  Chesapeake  I  dream  again,  and 
it  is  for  Virginia.  You  smile  !  " 

"  Have  you  considered,  sir,  —  I  do  not  know  your 
name." 

"  Robert  Godwyn  is  my  name." 

"Have  you  considered,  Master  Godwyn,  that  the 


THE   HUT  ON   THE   MARSH  69 

Virginians  do  not  want  a  republic,  that  they  are  more 
royalist  and  prelatical  than  are  their  brethren  at  home ; 
that  they  out-Herod  Herod  in  their  fantastic  loyalty?" 

"  That  is  true  of  the  class  with  whom  you  have 
come  into  contact,  —  of  the  masters.  But  there  is 
much  disaffection  among-  the  people  at  large.  And 
there  are  the  Nonconformists,  the  Presbyterians, 
Independents,  Baptists,  even  the  Quakers,  though 
they  say  they  fight  not.  To  them  all,  Charles  Stuart 
is  the  Pharaoh  whose  heart  the  Lord  hardened,  and 
William  Berkeley  is  his  task-master." 

"  Any  one  else  ?  " 

"  There  are  those  of  the  gentry  who  were  Common 
wealth's  men,  and  who  chafe  sorely  under  the  loss  of 
office  and  disfavor  into  which  they  have  fallen." 

"  And  these  all  desire  a  republic  ?  " 

"  They  desire  the  downfall  of  the  royalists  with 
William  Berkeley  at  their  head.  The  republic  would 
follow." 

"  And  when  a  handful  of  Puritan  gentlemen,  a  few 
hundred  Nonconformists,  and  the  rabble  of  the 
colony  shall  have  executed  this  project,  have  usurped 
the  government,  dethroning  the  king,  or  his  governor, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  —  then  will  come  in  from 
the  mouth  of  Thames  a  couple  of  royal  frigates  and 
blow  your  infant  republic  into  space." 

"  I  do  not  think  so.  The  frigates  would  come  un 
doubtedly,  but  I  am  of  another  opinion  as  to  the 
result  of  their  coming.  They  would  not  take  us 
unprepared  as  those  of  the  Commonwealth  took  Wil 
liam  Berkeley  in  fifty-two.  And  with  a  plentiful  lack 
of  money  and  a  Dutch  war  threatening,  Charles  Stu 
art  could  not  send  unlimited  frigates.  Moreover,  if 
Virginia  revolted,  Puritan  New  England  would  follow 


70  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

her  example,  and  she  would  find  allies  in  the  Dutch 
of  New  Amsterdam." 

"  You  spin  large  fancies,"  said  Landless,  with  some 
scorn.  "  I  suppose  you  are  plotting  with  these  gen 
tlemen  you  speak  of  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  man,  with  a  scarcely  perceptible 
hesitation.  "  No,  they  are  few  in  number  and  scat 
tered.  Moreover,  they  might  plot  amongst  themselves 
but  never  with  —  a  servant." 

"  Then  you  are  concerned  with  the  Nonconform 
ists  ?  " 

"  The  Nonconformists  are  timid,  and  dream  not 
that  the  day  of  deliverance  is  at  hand." 

Landless  began  to  laugh.  "  Do  you  mean  to  say," 
he  demanded,  "  that  you  and  I,  for  I  suppose  you  count 
on  my  assistance,  are  to  enact  a  kind  of  Pride's  Purge 
of  our  own  ?  That  we  are  to  drive  from  the  land  the 
King's  Governor,  Council,  Burgesses  and  trainbands ; 
sweep  into  the  bay  Sir  William  Berkeley  and  Colonel 
Verney,  and  all  those  gold-laced  planters  who  dined 
with  him  the  other  day  ?  That  we  are  to  take  posses 
sion  of  the  colony  as  picaroons  do  of  a  vessel,  and 
hoisting  our  flag,  —  a  crutch  surmounted  by  a  ball  and 
chain  on  a  ground  sable,  —  proclaim  a  republic  ?  " 

"  Not  we  alone." 

"  Oh,  ay !  I  forgot  the  worthy  Muggletonian." 

"  He  is  but  one  of  many,"  said  the  mender  of  nets. 

Landless  leaned  forward,  a  light  growing  in  his 
eyes.  "  Speak  out !  "  he  said.  "  What  is  it  that  will 
break  this  chain  ?  " 

The  mender  of  nets,  too,  bent  forward  from  his 
settle  until  his  breath  mingled  with  the  breath  of  the 
younger  man. 

"  A  slave  insurrection,"  he  said. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A   MENDER    OF    NETS 

"  A  SLAVE  insurrection  !  " 

Landless,  recoiling,  struck  with  his  shoulder  the 
torch,  which  fell  to  the  floor.  The  flame  went  out, 
leaving  only  a  red  gleaming  end.  "  I  will  get  an 
other,"  said  the  mender  of  nets,  and  limped  to  the 
corner  where  the  shadow  had  been  thickest.  Land 
less,  left  in  darkness,  heard  a  faint  muttering  as 
though  Master  Robert  Godwyn  were  talking  to  him 
self.  It  took  some  time  to  find  the  torch ;  but  at 
length  Godwyn  returned  with  one  in  his  hand,  and 
kindled  it  at  the  expiring  light. 

Landless  rose  from  his  seat,  and  strode  to  and  fro 
through  the  hut.  His  pulses  beat  to  bursting ;  there 
was  a  tingling  at  his  finger-tips  ;  to  his  startled  senses 
the  hut  seemed  to  expand,  to  become  a  cavern,  inter 
minable  and  unfathomable,  wide  as  the  vaulted  earth, 
filled  with  awful,  shadowy  places  and  strange,  lurid 
lights.  The  mender  of  nets  became  a  far-off  sphinx- 
like  figure. 

Godwyn  watched  him  in  silence.  He  had  a  large 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  he  saw  into  the 
mind  and  heart  of  the  restless  figure.  He  himself 
was  a  philosopher,  and  wore  his  chains  lightly,  but 
he  guessed  that  the  iron  had  entered  deeply  into  the 
soul  of  the  man  before  him.  The  sturdy  peasants, 
indented  servants  with  but  a  few  short  years  to  serve, 


72  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

better  fed  and  better  clad  than  their  fellows  at  home, 
found  life  on  a  Virginia  plantation  no  sweet  or  easy 
thing ;  the  political  and  ecclesiastical  offenders  en 
joyed  it  still  less,  while  the  small  criminal  class  found 
their  punishment  quite  sufficiently  severe.  To  this 
man  the  life  must  be  a  slow  peine  fort  et  dure,  break 
ing  his  body  with  toil,  crushing  his  soul  with  a  hope 
less  degradation.  The  thought  of  escape  must  be 
ever  present  with  him.  But  escape  in  the  conven 
tional  manner,  through  pathless  forests  and  over  broad 
streams,  was  a  thing  rarely  attained  to.  Ninety-nine 
out  of  a  hundred  failed  ;  and  the  last  state  of  the  man 
who  failed  was  worse  than  his  first. 

Landless  strode  over  to  the  table,  and  leaned  his 
weight  upon  it. 

"  Listen  !  "  he  said.  "  God  knows  I  am  a  desper 
ate  man !  My  attempt  to  escape  failing,  there  is 
naught  but  His  word  between  me  and  the  deepest 
pool  of  these  waters.  I  am  no  saint.  I  hate  my  ene 
mies.  Restore  to  me  my  sword,  pit  me  against  them 
one  by  one,  and  I  will  fight  my  way  to  freedom  or 
die.  ...  A  fair  fight,  too,  a  rising  of  the  people 
against  oppression  ;  a  challenge  to  the  oppressor  to  do 
his  worst ;  a  gallant  leading  of  a  forlorn  hope.  .  .  . 
But  a  slave  insurrection  !  a  midnight  butchery  !  There 
was  one  who  used  to  tell  me  tales  of  such  risings  in 
the  Indies.  Murder  and  rapine,  fire  rising  through 
the  night,  planters  cut  down  at  their  very  thresholds, 
shrieking  women  tortured,  children  flung  into  the 
flames,  —  a  carnival  of  blood  and  horror !  " 

"  We  are  not  in  the  Indies,"  said  the  other  quietly. 
"  There  will  be  no  such  devil's  work  here.  Sit  down 
and  listen  while  I  put  the  thing  before  you  as  it  is. 
There  are,  most  iniquitously  held  as  slaves  in  this  Vir- 


A  MENDER  OF  NETS  73 

ginia,  some  four  hundred  Commonwealth's  men,  each 
one  of  whom,  at  home  and  in  his  own  station,  was  a 
man  of  mark.  Many  were  Ironsides.  And  each  one 
is  a  force  in  himself,  —  cool,  determined,  intrepid,  — 
and  wholly  desperate.  With  them  are  many  victims 
of  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  godly  men,  eaten  up  with 
zeal.  For  their  freedom  they  would  dare  much ;  for 
their  faith  they  would  spill  every  drop  of  their  blood." 

"They  are  like  our  friend,  the  Muggletonian,  fa 
natics  all,  I  suppose,"  said  Landless. 

"  Possibly.  Your  fanatic  is  the  best  fighting  ma 
chine  yet  invented.  Do  you  not  see  that  these  two 
classes  form  a  regiment  against  which  no  trainbands, 
no  force  which  these  planters  could  raise,  would 
stand?" 

"But  they  are  scattered,  dispersed  through  the 
colony ! " 

"  Ay,  but  they  can  be  brought  together !  And  to 
that  end,  seeing  how  few  there  are  upon  any  one  plan 
tation,  upon  the  day  when  they  rise,  they  must  raise 
with  them  servants  and  slaves.  Then  will  they  over 
power  masters  and  overseers,  and  gathering  to  one 
point,  form  there  a  force  which  will  beat  down  all 
opposition.  It  is  simple  enough.  We  will  but  do 
that  which  it  was  proposed  to  do  ten  years  ago.  You 
know  the  instructions  given  by  the  Parliament  to  the 
four  commissioners  ?  " 

"  They  were  to  summon  the  colony  to  surrender  to 
the  Commonwealth.  If  it  did  so,  well  and  good  ;  if 
not,  war  was  to  be  declared,  and  the  servants  invited 
to  rise  against  their  masters  and  so  purchase  their 
freedom." 

"  Precisely.  Berkeley  submitted,  and  there  was  no 
rising.  This  time  there  will  be  no  summons,  but  a 


74  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

rising,  and  a  very  great  one.  It  will  be,  primarily, 
a  rising  of  four  hundred  Oliverians,  strong  to  avenge 
many  and  grievous  wrongs  ;  but  with  them  will  rise 
servants  and  slaves,  and  to  the  banner  of  the  Com 
monwealth,  beneath  which  they  will  march,  will  flock 
every  Nonconformist  in  the  land,  and,  when  success 
is  assured,  then  will  come  in  and  give  us  weight  and 
respectability  those  (and  they  are  not  a  few)  of  the 
better  classes  who  long  in  their  hearts  for  the  good 
days  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  yet  dare  not  lift  a 
finger  to  bring  them  back." 

"  And  the  royalists  ?  " 

"  If  they  resist,  their  blood  be  upon  them !  But 
there  shall  be  no  carnage,  no  butchery.  And  if  they 
submit  they  shall  be  unmolested,  even  as  they  were 
ten  years  ago.  There  is  land  enough  for  all." 

"  The  servants  and  slaves  ?  " 

"  They  that  join  with  us,  of  whatever  class,  shall  be 
freed." 

"  This  insurrection  is  actually  in  train  ?  " 

"  Let  us  call  it  a  revolution.  Yes,  it  is  in  train  as 
far  as  regards  the  Oliverians.  We  have  but  begun 
to  sound  servants  and  slaves." 

"  And  you  ?  " 

"  I  am,  for  lack  of  a  better,  General  to  the  Olive 
rians." 

"  And  you  believe  yourself  able  to  control  these 
motley  forces,  —  men  wronged  and  revengeful,  fa 
natics,  peasants,  brutal  negroes,  mulattoes  (whom 
they  say  are  devils),  convicts,  —  to  say  to  them, '  Thus 
far  must  you  go,  and  no  farther.'  You  invoke  a  fiend 
that  may  turn  and  rend  you !  " 

Godwyn  shaded  his  eyes  with  his  hand.  "Yes,"  he 
said  at  last,  speaking  with  energy.  "  I  do  believe  it ! 


A  MENDER  OF   NETS  75 

I  know  it  is  a  desperate  game ;  but  the  stake  !  I  be 
lieve  in  myself.  And  I  have  four  hundred  able  adju 
tants,  men  who  are  to  me  what  his  Ironsides  were  to 
Oliver,  but  none  —  "  he  stretched  out  his  hand,  thin, 
white,  and  delicate  as  a  woman's,  and  laid  it  upon  the 
brown  one  resting  upon  the  table.  "  Lad,"  he  said 
in  a  gravely  tender  voice,  "  I  have  none  upon  this 
plantation  in  whom  I  can  put  absolute  trust.  There 
are  few  Oliverians  here,  and  they  are  like  Win-Grace 
Porringer,  in  whom  zeal  hath  eaten  up  discretion. 
Lad,  I  need  a  helper !  I  have  spoken  to  you  freely  ; 
I  have  laid  my  heart  before  you  ;  and  why  ?  Because 
I,  who  was  and  am  a  gentleman,  see  in  you  a  gentle 
man,  because  I  would  take  your  word  before  all  the 
oaths  of  all  the  peasant  servants  in  Virginia,  because 
you  have  spirit  and  judgment ;  because,  —  in  short, 
because  I  could  love  you  as  I  loved  your  father  before 
you.  You  have  great  wrongs.  We  will  right  them 
together.  Be  my  lieutenant,  my  confidant,  my  helper ! 
Come !  put  your  hand  in  mine  and  say,  '  I  am  with 
you,  Robert  Godwyn,  heart  and  soul.' " 

Landless  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  It  were  easy  to  say 
that,"  he  said  hoarsely,  "  for,  in  all  the  two  years  I 
lay  rotting  in  prison,  and  in  these  weeks  of  sordid 
misery  here  in  Virginia,  yours  is  the  only  face  that 
has  looked  kindly  upon  me,  yours  the  only  voice  that 
has  told  me  I  was  believed.  .  .  .  But  it  is  a  fearful 
thing  you  propose  !  If  all  go  as  you  say  it  will,  — 
why  WELL  !  but  if  not,  Hell  will  be  in  the  land.  I 
must  have  time  to  think,  to  judge  for  myself,  to  de 
cide  —  " 

The  door  swung  stealthily  inward,  and  in  the  open 
ing  appeared  the  dead  white  face,  with  the  great  letter 
sprawling  over  it,  of  Master  Win-Grace  Porringer. 


76  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  There  are  boats  on  the  creek,"  he  said.  "  Two 
coming  up,  one  corning  down." 

Godwyn  nodded.  u  I  hold  conference  to-night  with 
men  from  this  and  the  two  neighboring  plantations. 
You  will  stay  where  you  are  and  see  and  hear  them. 
Only  you  must  be  silent ;  for  they  must  not  know  that 
you  are  not  entirely  one  with  us,  as  I  am  well  assured 
you  will  be." 

"They  are  Oliverians?" 

"  All  but  two  or  three." 

"  I  secured  the  mulatto,"  interrupted  the  Muggle- 
tonian. 

"  Ay,"  said  Godwyn,  "  I  thought  it  well  to  have  one 
slave  representative  here  to-night.  These  mulattoes 
are  devils ;  but  they  can  plot,  and  they  can  keep  a 
still  tongue.  But  I  shall  not  trust  him  or  his  kind 
too  far." 

The  peculiar  knock  —  four  strokes  in  all  —  sounded 
upon  the  door,  and  Porringer  went  to  it.  "  Who  is 
there  ?  "  passed  on  the  one  side,  and  "  The  sword  of 
the  Lord  and  of  Gideon  "  on  the  other.  The  door 
swung  open,  and  there  entered  two  men  of  a  grave 
and  determined  cast  of  countenance.  Both  had  iron- 
gray  hair,  and  one  was  branded  upon  the  forehead 
with  the  letter  that  appeared  upon  the  cheek  of  the 
Muggletonian.  Again  the  knock  sounded,  the  coun 
tersign  was  given,  and  the  door  opened  to  admit  a 
pale,  ascetic-looking  youth,  with  glittering  eyes  and  a 
crimson  spot  on  each  cheek,  who  stooped  heavily  and 
coughed  often.  He  was  followed  by  another  stern- 
faced  Commonwealth's  man,  and  he  in  turn  by  a  brace 
of  broad-visaged  rustics  and  a  smug-faced  man,  who 
looked  like  a  small  shop-keeper.  After  an  interval 
came  two  more  Oliverians,  grim  of  eye,  and  composed 
in  manner. 


A  MENDER  OF  NETS  77 

Last  of  all  came  the  mulatto  of  the  pale  amber 
color  and  the  gold  ear-rings  ;  and  with  him  came  the 
long-nosed,  twitching-lipped  convict  in  whose  company 
Landless  had  crossed  the  Atlantic.  His  name  was 
Trail ;  and  Landless,  knowing  him  for  a  villainous 
rogue,  started  at  finding  him  amongst  the  company. 

His  presence  there  was  evidently  unexpected. 
Godwyn  frowned  and  turned  sharply  upon  the 
mulatto.  "  Who  gave  you  leave  to  bring  this  man  ?  " 
he  demanded  sternly. 

The  mulatto  was  at  no  loss.  "  Worthy  Senors 
all,"  he  said  smoothly,  addressing  himself  to  the 
company  in  general.  "  This  Serior  Trail  is  a  good 
man,  as  I  have  reason  to  know.  Once  we  were  to 
gether  in  San  Domingo,  slave  to  a  villainous  cavalier 
from  Seville.  With  the  help  of  St.  Jago  and  the 
Mother  of  God,  we  killed  him  and  made  our  escape. 
Now,  after  many  years,  we  meet  here  in  a  like  situa 
tion.  I  answer  for  my  friend  as  I  answer  for  myself, 
myself,  Luiz  Sebastian,  the  humble  and  altogether- 
devoted  servant  of  you  all,  worshipful  Senors." 

The  man  with  the  branded  forehead  muttered 
something  in  which  the  only  distinguishable  words 
were,  "  Scarlet  woman,"  and  "  Papist  half-breed," 
and  the  smug-faced  man  cried  out,  "  Trail  is  a  forger 
and  thief !  I  remember  his  trial  at  the  Bailey,  a  week 
before  I  signed  as  storekeeper  to  Major  Carrington." 

This  speech  of  the  smug-faced  man  created  some 
thing  of  a  commotion,  and  one  or  two  started  to  their 
feet.  The  mulatto  looked  about  him  with  an  evil  eye. 

"  My  friend  has  been  in  trouble,  it  is  true,"  he  said, 
still  very  smoothly.  "  He  will  not  make  the  worse 
conspirator  for  that.  And  why,  worthy  Senors,  should 
you  make  a  difference  between  him  and  one  other  I 


78  PRISONERS  OF   HOPE 

see  in  company  ?  Mother  of  God  !  they  are  both  in 
the  same  boat !  "  He  fixed  his  large  eyes  on  Landless 
as  he  spoke,  and  his  thick  lips  curled  into  a  tigerish 
smile. 

Landless  half  rose,  but  Godwyn  laid  a  detaining 
hand  upon  his  arm.  "  Be  still,"  he  said  in  a  low 
voice,  "  and  let  me  manage  this  matter." 

Landless  obeyed,  and  the  mender  of  nets  turned  to 
the  assembly,  who  by  this  time  were  looking  very 
black. 

"  Friends,"  he  said  with  quiet  impressiveness,  "  I 
think  you  know  me,  Robert  Godwyn,  well  enough  to 
know  that  I  make  no  move  in  these  great  matters 
without  good  and  sufficient  reason.  I  have  good  and 
sufficient  reason  for  wishing  to  associate  with  us  this 
young  man,  — yea,  even  to  make  him  a  leader  among 
us.  He  is  one  of  us  —  he  fought  at  Worcester.  And 
that  he  is  an  innocent  man,  falsely  accused,  falsely 
imprisoned,  wrongfully  sent  to  the  plantations,  I  well 
believe,  —  for  I  will  believe  no  wrong  of  the  son  of 
Warham  Landless." 

There  was  a  loud  murmur  of  surprise  through  the 
room,  and  one  of  the  Oliverians  sprung  to  his  feet, 
crying  out,  "  Warham  Landless  was  my  colonel !  I 
will  follow  his  son  were  he  ten  times  a  convict !  " 

Godwyn  waited  for  the  buzz  of  voices  to  cease  and 
then  calmly  proceeded,  "  As  to  this  man  whom  Luiz 
Sebastian  hath  brought  with  him,  I  know  nothing. 
But  it  matters  little.  Sooner  or  later  we  must  engage 
his  class,  —  as  well  commence  with  him  as  with 
another.  He  will  be  faithful  for  his  own  sake." 

The  dark  faces  of  his  audience  cleared  gradually. 
Only  the  youth  with  the  hectic  cheeks  cried  out,  "  I 
have  hated  the  congregation  of  evil  doers,  and  I  will 


A  MENDER   OF  NETS  79 

not  sit  with  the  wicked  !  "  and  rose  as  if  to  make  for 
the  door.  Win-Grace  Porringer  pulled  him  down 
with  a  muttered,  "  Curse  you  for  a  fool !  Shall  not 
the  Lord  shave  with  a  hired  razor  ?  When  these  men 
have  done  their  work,  then  shall  they  be  cut  down 
and  cast  into  outer  darkness,  until  when,  hold  thy 
peace ! " 

The  company  now  applied  itself  to  the  transaction 
of  business.  Trail  was  duly  sworn  in,  not  without  a 
deal  of  oily  glibness  and  unnecessary  protestation  on 
his  part.  The  man  who  held  the  little,  worn  Bible 
now  turned  to  Landless,  but  upon  Godwyn's  saying 
quietly,  "  I  have  already  sworn  him,"  the  book  was 
returned  to  the  bosom  of  its  owner. 

Each  conspirator  had  his  report  to  make.  Landless 
listened  with  grave  attention  and  growing  wonder  to 
long  lists  of  plantations  and  the  servant  and  slave 
force  thereon  ;  to  news  from  the  up-river  estates,  and 
from  the  outlying  settlements  upon  the  Rappahannock 
and  the  Pamunkey,  and  from  across  the  bay  in  Ac- 
comae  ;  to  accounts  of  secret  arsenals  slowly  filling 
with  rude  weapons ;  to  allusions  to  the  well-affected 
sailors  on  board  those  ships  that  were  likely  to  be  in 
harbor  during  the  next  two  months  ;  —  to  the  details 
of  a  formidable  and  far-reaching  conspiracy. 

The  Oliverians  spoke  of  the  hour  in  which  this  mine 
should  be  sprung  as  the  great  and  appointed  day  of 
the  Lord,  the  day  when  the  Lord  was  to  stretch  forth 
his  hand  and  smite  the  malignants,  the  day  when 
Israel  shoiild  be  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  Pharaoh. 
The  branded  man  apostrophized  Godwyn  as  Moses. 
Their  stern  and  rigid  features  relaxed,  their  eyes 
glistened,  their  breath  came  short  and  thick.  Once 
the  youth  who  had  wished  to  avoid  the  company  of 


80  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

the  wicked  broke  into  hysterical  sobbing.  The  two 
rustics  spoke  little,  but  possibly  thought  the  more. 
To  them  the  day  of  the  Lord  translated  itself  the  day 
of  their  obtaining  a  freehold.  The  smug-faced  shop 
keeper  put  in  his  oar  now  and  again,  but  only  to  be 
swept  aside  by  the  torrent  of  Biblical  quotation. 
The  newly  admitted  Trail  kept  a  discreet  silence,  but 
used  his  furtive  greenish  eyes  to  good  purpose.  Luiz 
Sebastian  sat  with  the  stillness  of  a  great,  yellow, 
crouching  tiger  cat. 

Godwyn  heard  all  in  silence.  Not  till  the  last  man 
had  had  his  say  did  he  begin  to  speak,  approving, 
suggesting,  directing,  moulding  in  his  facile  hands  the 
incongruous  and  disjointed  mass  of  information  and 
opinion  into  a  rounded  whole.  The  men,  listening  to 
him  with  breathless  attention,  gave  grim  nods  of  ap 
proval.  At  one  point  of  his  discourse  the  branded 
man  cried  out :  — 

"  If  the  Puritan  gentry  you  talk  of  would  gird 
themselves  like  men,  and  come  forth  to  the  battle, 
how  quickly  would  the  Lord's  work  be  done  !  They 
are  the  drones  within  the  hive  !  They  expect  the 
honey,  but  do  not  the  work." 

"  It  is  so,"  said  Godwyn,  "  but  they  have  lands 
and  goods  and  fame  to  lose.  We  have  naught  to 
lose  —  can  be  no  worse  off  than  we  are  now." 

"  If  the  Laodicean,  Carrington,"  —  began  the 
branded  man. 

Godwyn  interrupted  him.  "  This  is  beside  the 
matter.  Major  Carrington  is  a  godly  man  who  hath, 
though  in  secret,  done  many  kindnesses  to  us  poor 
prisoners  of  the  Lord.  Let  us  be  content  with  that." 

A  moment  later  he  said,  "  It  waxeth  late,  friends, 
and  loath  would  I  be  for  one  of  you  to  be  discovered. 


A  MENDER  OF   NETS  81 

Come  to  me  again  a  week  from  to-night.  The  word 
will  be,  '  The  valley  of  Jehoshaphat.' ' 

The  conspirators  dropped  away,  in  twos  and  threes, 
gliding  silently  off  in  their  stolen  boats  between  the 
walls  of  waving  grass.  When,  last  of  all  save  Land 
less  and  the  Muggletonian,  Trail  and  Luiz  Sebastian 
approached  the  door,  Godwyn  stopped  them  with  a 
gesture. 

"  Stay  a  moment,"  he  said.  "  I  have  a  word  to  say 
to  you.  We  may  as  well  be  frank  with  you.  I  dis 
trust  you,  of  course.  It  is  natural  that  I  should. 
And  you  distrust  me  as  much.  It  is  natural  that  you 
should.  I  would  do  without  the  aid  of  you  and  the 
class  you  represent  if  I  could,  but  I  cannot.  You 
would  do  without  my  aid  if  you  could,  but  you  cannot. 
Betray  me,  and  whatever  blood  money  you  get,  it  will 
not  be  that  freedom  which  you  want.  We  are  obliged 
to  work  together,  unequal  yoke-fellows  as  we  are.  Do 
I  make  myself  understood  ?  " 

"  To  a  marvel,  Senor,"  said  Luiz  Sebastian. 

"  Damn  my  soul,  but  you  're  a  sharp  one  !  "  said 
Trail. 

Godwyn  smiled.  "  That  is  enough,  we  understand 
one  another.  Good-night." 

The  two  glided  off  in  their  turn,  and  Godwyn  said 
to  the  Muggletonian,  "  Friend  Porringer,  that  mended 
sail  must  be  bestowed  in  the  large  boat  before  the  hut 
against  Haines'  coming  for  it  in  the  morning.  Will 
you  take  it  to  the  boat  for  me  ?  And  if  you  will  wait 
there  this  young  man  shall  join  you  shortly." 

The  Muggletonian  nodded,  piled  the  heap  of  dingy 
sail  upon  his  head  and  strode  off.  The  mender  of  nets 
turned  to  Landless. 

"  Well,"  he  said.     "  What  do  you  think  ?  " 


82  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  I  think,"  said  Landless,  raising  his  voice,  "  that 
the  gentleman  in  the  dark  corner  must  be  tired  of 
standing." 

There  was  a  dead  silence.  Then  a  piece  of  shadow 
detached  itself  from  the  other  heavy  shadows  in  the 
dark  corner  and  came  forward  into  the  torch  light, 
where  it  resolved  itself  into  a  handsome  figure  of  a 
man,  apparently  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  wearing  a 
riding  cloak  of  green  cloth  and  a  black  riding  mask. 
Not  content  with  the  concealment  afforded  by  the 
mask,  he  had  pulled  his  beaver  low  over  his  eyes  and 
with  one  hand  held  the  folds  of  the  cloak  about  the 
lower  part  of  his  face.  He  rested  the  other  ungloved 
hand  upon  the  table  and  stared  fixedly  at  Landless. 
"  You  have  good  eyes,"  he  said  at  last,  in  a  voice  as 
muffled  as  his  countenance. 

"  It  is  a  warm  night,"  said  Landless  with  a  smile. 
"  If  Major  Carrington  would  drop  that  heavy  cloak, 
he  would  find  it  more  comfortable." 

The  man  recoiled.  "  You  know  me  !  "  he  cried 
incredulously. 

"  I  know  the  Carrington  arms  and  motto.  Tenax 
et  Fidelis,  is  it  not  ?  You  should  not  wear  your 
signet  ring  when  you  go  a-plotting." 

The  Surveyor-General  of  the  Colony  dropped  his 
cloak,  and  springing  forward  seized  Landless  by  the 
shoulders. 

"  You  dog !  "  he  hissed  between  his  teeth,  "  if  you 
dare  betray  me,  I  '11  have  every  drop  of  your  blood 
lashed  out  of  your  body  !  " 

Landless  wrenched  himself  free.  "  I  am  no  traitor," 
he  said  coldly. 

Carrington  recovered  himself.  "  Well,  well,"  he 
said,  still  breathing  hastily,  "  I  believe  you.  I  heard 


A  MENDER   OF   NETS  83 

all  that  passed  to-night,  and  I  believe  you.  You  have 
been  a  gentleman." 

"  Had  I  my  sword,  I  should  be  happy  to  give  Major 
Carrington  proof,"  said  Landless  sternly. 

The  other  smiled.  "  There,  there,  I  was  hasty,  but 
by  Heaven !  you  gave  me  a  start !  I  ask  your  par 
don." 

Landless  bowed,  and  the  mender  of  nets  struck  in. 
"  I  was  sorry  to  keep  you  so  long,  Major  Carrington, 
in  such  an  uncomfortable  position.  But  the  arrival 
of  the  Muggletonian  before  he  was  due,  together  with 
your  desire  for  secrecy,  left  me  no  alternative." 

"I  surmise,  friend  Godwyn,  that  you  would  not 
have  been  sorry  had  this  young  man  proclaimed  his 
discovery  in  full  conclave,"  said  Carrington  with  a 
keen  glance. 

Godwyn's  thin  cheek  flushed,  but  he  answered  com 
posedly,  "  It  is  certainly  true  that  I  would  like  to 
see  Major  Carrington  committed  beyond  withdrawal 
to  this  undertaking.  But  he  will  do  me  the  justice  to 
believe  that  if,  by  raising  my  finger,  I  could  so  com 
mit  him,  I  would  not  do  so  without  his  permission." 

"  Faith,  it  is  so !  "  said  the  other,  then  turned  to 
Landless  with  a  stern  smile.  "  You  will  understand, 
young  man,  that  Miles  Carrington  never  attended,  nor 
will  attend,  a  meeting  wherein  the  peace  of  the  realm 
is  conspired  against  by  servants.  If  Miles  Carring 
ton  ever  visits  Robert  Godwyn,  servant  to  Colonel 
Verney,  'tis  simply  to  employ  him  (with  his  master's 
consent)  in  the  mending  of  nets,  or  to  pass  an  idle 
hour  reading  Plato,  Robert  Godwyn  having  been  a 
scholar  of  note  at  home." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Landless,  answering  the  smile. 
"  Major  Carrington  and  Master  Godwyn  are  at  pre- 


84 

sent  much  interested  in  the  philosopher's  pretty  but 
idle  conception  of  a  Republic,  wherein  philosophers 
shall  rule,  and  warriors  be  the  bulwark  of  the  state, 
and  no  Greek  shall  enslave  a  fellow  Greek,  but  only 
outer  barbarians  —  all  of  which  is  vastly  pretty  on 
paper  —  but  they  agree  that  it  would  turn  the  world 
upside  down  were  it  put  into  practice." 

"  Precisely,"  said  Carrington  with  a  smile. 

"  You  had  best  be  off,  lad,"  put  in  Godwyn.  "  Wood- 
son  is  an  early  riser,  and  he  must  not  catch  you  gad 
ding.  .  .  .  You  will  think  on  what  you  have  heard 
to-night,  and  will  come  to  me  again  as  soon  as  you 
can  make  opportunity  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Landless  slowly.  "  I  will  come,  but  I 
make  no  promises." 

He  found  Porringer  seated  in  their  boat,  patiently 
awaiting  him.  They  cast  off  and  rowed  back  the  way 
they  had  come  through  the  stillness  of  the  hour  before 
dawn.  The  tide  being  full,  the  black  banks  had  dis 
appeared,  and  the  grass,  sighing  and  whispering, 
waved  on  a  level  with  their  boat.  When  they  slid 
at  last  into  the  broader  waters  of  the  inlet,  the  stars 
were  paling,  and  in  the  east  there  gleamed  a  faint  rose 
tint,  the  ghost  of  a  color.  A  silver  mist  lay  upon  land 
and  water,  and  through  it  they  stole  undetected  to 
their  several  cabins. 

Meanwhile  the  two  men,  left  alone  in  the  hut  on  the 
marsh,  looked  one  another  in  the  face. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  he  can  be  trusted  ?  "  demanded 
Carrington. 

"  I  would  answer  for  his  father's  son  with  my  life." 

"What  of  these  scruples  of  his?  Faith!  an  un 
usual  conjunction  —  a  convict  and  scruples  !  Will  you 
manage  to  dispose  of  them?  " 


A  MENDER  OF   NETS  85 

Godwyn  smiled  with  wise,  sad  eyes.  "  Time  will 
dispose  of  them,"  he  said  quietly.  "  He  is  new  to  the 
life.  Let  him  taste  its  full  bitterness.  It  will  plead 
powerfully  against  his  —  scruples.  He  has  as  yet  no 
special  and  private  grievance.  Wait  until  he  gets  into 
trouble  with  Woodson  or  his  master.  When  he  has 
done  that  and  has  taken  the  consequences,  he  will  be 
ours.  We  can  bide  our  time." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   NEW    SECRETARY 

"  Tell  me  not,  sweet,  I  am  unkind 

That  from  the  nunnery 
Of  thy  chaste  breast  and  quiet  mind, 
To  war  and  arms  I  flee.  .  .  . 

"  Yet  this  inconstancy  is  such 

As  you  too  shall  adore. 
I  could  not  love  thee,  dear,  so  much, 
Loved  I  not  honor  more." 

THE  rich  notes  rang  higher  and  higher,  filling  the 
languid  air,  and  drowning  the  trill  of  the  mocking 
birds.  Patricia,  filling  her  apron  with  midsummer 
flowers,  sang  with  a  careless  passion,  her  mind  far 
away  in  the  midst  of  a  Whitehall  pageant,  described 
to  her  the  night  before  by  that  silver-tongued  courtier, 
Sir  Charles  Carew. 

Still  singing,  she  went  up  the  steps  of  the  porch 
and  into  the  cool  wide  hall.  In  her  face  there  was  a 
languorous  beauty  born  of  the  sunshine  outside  ;  a  soft 
color  glowed  in  her  cheeks,  her  eyes  were  large  and 
dreamy,  little  damp  tendrils  of  gold  strayed  about  her 
temples.  She  threw  down  her  hat,  and  loosened  the 
kerchief  of  delicate  lawn  from  about  her  warm  young 
throat ;  then,  with  the  flowers  still  in  her  arms,  she 
raised  the  latch  of  the  door  of  a  room  held  sacred  to 
Colonel  Verney,  and  entered,  to  find  herself  face  to 
face  with  the  convict,  Godfrey  Landless,  who  sat  at  a 
table  covered  with  papers,  busily  writing. 


THE  NEW   SECRETARY  87 

She  started  violently,  and  the  mass  of  flowers  fell 
to  the  floor,  shattering  the  petals  from  the  roses  and 
poppies.  Landless  came  forward,  knelt  down,  and, 
picking  them  up,  restored  them  to  her  without  a 
word. 

"  I  thank  you,"  she  said  coldly.  "  I  thought  my 
father  was  here." 

"  Colonel  Verney  is  in  the  next  room,  madam." 

She  moved  to  the  door  leading  into  the  great  room 
with  the  gait  of  a  princess,  and  Landless  went  back  to 
his  work. 

Colonel  Verney,  on  his  knees  before  the  richly 
carveii  chest  containing  his  library,  looked  up  from 
the  two  score  volumes  to  behold  a  mass  of  brilliant 
blooms  transferred  from  two  white  arms  to  the  ground 
outside  the  open  window. 

"  Well,  sweetheart,"  he  said.     "  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Papa,"  she  said,  coming  to  his  side,  and  looking 
down  upon  him  with  a  vexed  face ;  "  you  promised 
me  that  you  would  employ  no  more  convicts  in  the 
house." 

"  Why,  so  I  did,  my  dear,"  answered  her  father, 
comfortably  seating  himself  upon  "  Purchas  :  His  Pil- 
grimmes."  "  And  I  meant  to  keep  my  word,  but  this 
is  the  way  of  it.  The  day  after  you  went  to  Rose- 
mead  with  Betty  Carrington,  down  comes  young  Shaw 
with  the  fever,  and  has  to  be  sent  home  to  his  mother. 
His  illness  came  at  a  precious  inconvenient  season,  for 
the  gout  was  in  my  fingers  again,  and  I  was  bent  on 
disappointing  William  Berkeley,  who  hath  wagered  a 
thousand  pounds  of  sweet  scented  that  my  '  Statement 
of  the  Evil  Wrought  by  the  Navigation  Laws  to  His 
Majesty's  Colony  of  Virginia'  won't  be  finished  in 
time  for  the  sailing  of  the  God-Speed.  So  I  told 


88  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

Woodson  to  find  me  some  one  among  the  men  who 
knew  how  to  write.  He  brought  me  this  fellow,  and 
I  vow  he  is  an  improvement  on  young  Shaw.  He 
does  n't  ask  questions,  and  he  is  a  very  pretty  Latinist. 
The  paper  will  be  finished  to-day.  I  was  but  search 
ing  for  a  neat  quotation  to  close  with.  Then  the  fel 
low  will  go  back  to  the  tobacco,  and  you  will  be  no 
longer  annoyed  by  his  presence  in  the  house.  Now 
kiss  me,  sweet  chuck,  and  begone,  for  I  am  busied 
upon  affairs  of  state." 

Left  alone,  Colonel  Verney  pored  over  his  books 
until  he  found  what  he  wanted,  when,  after  rearran 
ging  his  library  in  the  carved  chest,  he  rose  stiffly  to 
his  feet,  and  went  into  the  next  room  and  up  to  the 
writing-table.  Landless  rose  from  his  seat,  and,  re 
signing  it  to  his  master,  stood  gravely  by  while  the 
Colonel  looked  over  the  manuscript  upon  which  he  had 
been  employed. 

"  Ha !  "  said  the  Colonel.    "  A  very  fair  copy !    You 

have  numbered  and  headed  the  pages,  I  observe.    Let 

me  see,  let  me  see,  let  me  see,"  and  he  ran  them  over 

between  his  fingers.     "  Oppressive  Nature  of  the  Act. 

—  Grave  Dissatisfaction.  —  It  advantageth   No  One 

save  Small  Traders  at  Home.  —  Increase  of  Revenue 

to  His  Majesty  if  't  were  repealed.  —  Dutch  Bottoms. 

-  Trade  with  Russia.  —  His  Majesty's  Poor  Planters 

Throw  Themselves  upon  His  Majesty's  Mercy.     Very 

good,  very  good  !  " 

"  It  is  nigh  finished,  sir,"  said  Landless. 

"  Ay,  ay !  By  the  Lord  Harry,  William  Berkeley 
will  repent  his  wager  !  A  pretty  paper  it  is,  and  con- 
taineth  many  excellent  points  and  much  good  Latin, 
and  you  have  copied  it  fairly  and  cleanly.  It  is  a 
pity,  my  man,"  he  added  not  unkindly,  "that  you 


THE   NEW   SECRETARY  89 

should  have  lived  so  evilly  as  to  bring  yourself  to  this 
pass,  for  you  have  in  you  the  making  of  an  excellent 
secretary." 

"Is  it  your  will,  sir,  that  I  finish  the  copy  now  ? " 

"  Yes,  but  take  it  to  the  small  table  within  the  win 
dow  there.  I  myself  will  sit  here  and  jot  down  some 
ideas  for  my  dedication  which  you  can  afterwards 
amplify." 

The  worthy  colonel  pulled  the  big  Turkey  worked 
chair  closer  to  the  table,  turned  back  his  ruffles  and 
fell  to  work.  Landless  retired  to  the  table  within  the 
window,  and  for  a  while  naught  was  heard  in  the  quiet 
room  but  the  scratching  of  quills,  as  master  and  man 
drove  them  across  the  whitey-brown  sheets. 

At  length  the  master  pushed  his  chair  back  and 
stretched  himself  with  a  prodigious  yawn.  "  The 
Lord  be  thanked !  "  he  said,  addressing  the  air. 
"  That 's  done  !  And  it  is  time  to  see  to  the  dressing 
of  that  sore  upon  Prince  Rupert's  shoulder  ;  and  I 
remember  Haines  said  that  one  of  the  hounds  had 
been  gored  by  Carrington's  bull.  Haines  can't  dress 
a  wound.  Haines  is  a  bungler.  But,  by  the  Lord 
Harry !  Richard  Verney  is  as  good  a  veterinary  as 
he  is  a  statesman." 

He  lifted  his  burly  figure  from  the  depths  of  the 
chair,  and  going  over  to  Landless,  dropped  upon  the 
table  before  him  a  page  of  hieroglyphics  for  him  to 
decipher  at  his  leisure.  Then  with  another  word  of 
commendation  for  the  beauty  of  the  copy,  he  walked 
heavily  from  the  room.  A  moment  later  Landless 
heard  him  whistle  to  his  dogs,  and  then  break  into 
a  stave  of  a  cavalier  drinking  song,  sung  at  the  top 
of  a  full  manly  voice,  and  dying  away  in  the  direction 
of  the  stables. 


90  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Landless'  hand  moved  to  and  fro  across  the  paper 
with  a  tireless  patience.  He  did  not  go  back  to  the 
central  table,  for  the  light  was  better  in  the  window, 
and  a  vagrant  breath  of  air  strayed  in  now  and  then. 
The  window  was  a  deep  one,  and  heavy  drugget  cur 
tains  hung  between  it  and  the  rest  of  the  room. 

The  door  opened  and  a  man's  voice  said  :  "  This 
room  is  darkened  into  delicious  coolness.  Shall  we 
try  it,  cousin  ?  " 

Patricia  entered  like  a  sunbeam,  and  after  her 
sauntered  Sir  Charles  Carew,  languid,  debonair,  and 
perfectly  appareled. 

Landless,  seeing  them  plainly,  did  not  realize  that 
in  the  shadow  of  the  heavy  curtains  he  was  himself 
unseen.  He  had  grown  so  accustomed  to  the  quiet 
insolence  that  overlooks  the  presence  of  an  inferior  as 
it  does  that  of  any  other  article  of  furniture,  that  he 
did  not  doubt  that  the  fine  lady  and  gentleman  be 
fore  him  were  perfectly  aware  of  the  presence  in  the 
room  of  the  slave  whom  his  master's  caprice  had 
raised  for  the  moment  to  the  post  of  secretary.  It 
was  some  few  minutes  before  he  began  to  consider 
within  himself  that  he  might  be  mistaken. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN    INTERRUPTED   WOOING 

SIR  CHARLES  pushed  forward  the  big  chair  for  Pa 
tricia,  and  himself  dropped  upon  a  stool  at  her  feet. 
Taking  her  fan  from  her,  he  began  to  play  with  it, 
lightly  commenting  on  the  picture  of  the  Rape  of 
Europa  with  which  it  was  adorned.  Suddenly  he 
closed  it,  tossed  it  aside,  and  leaning  forward,  pos 
sessed  himself  of  her  hand. 

"  Madam,  sweet  cousin,  divinest  Patricia,"  he  ex 
claimed  in  a  carefully  impassioned  tone  ;  "  do  you 
not  know  that  I  am  your  slave,  the  captive  of  your 
bow  and  spear,  that  I  adore  you  ?  I  adore  you  !  and 
you,  flinty-hearted  goddess,  give  no  word  of  encour 
agement  to  your  prostrate  worshiper.  You  trample 
upon  the  offering  of  sighs  and  tears  which  he  lays  at 
your  feet ;  you  will  not  listen  when  he  would  pour 
into  your  ear  his  aspirations  towards  a  sweeter  and 
richer  life  than  he  has  ever  known.  Will  it  be  ever 
thus  ?  Will  not  the  goddess  stoop  from  her  throne 
to  make  him  the  happiest  of  mortals,  to  win  his  eter 
nal  gratitude,  to  become  herself  forever  the  object  of 
the  most  respectful,  the  most  ardent,  the  most  devoted 
love?" 

He  flung  himself  upon  his  knee  and  pressed  her 
hand  to  his  heart  with  passion  not  all  affected.  He 
had  come  to  consider  it  a  piece  of  monstrous  good 
luck,  that,  since  he  must  make  a  wealthy  match,  Prov- 


92  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

idence  (or  whatever  as  a  Hobbist  he  put  in  place  of 
Providence),  had,  in  pointing  him  the  fortune,  pointed 
also  to  Patricia  Verney.  But  the  night  before,  in  the 
privacy  of  his  chamber,  he  had  suddenly  sat  up  be 
tween  the  Holland  sheets  with  a  startled  and  amused 
expression  upon  his  handsome  face,  swathed  around 
with  a  wonderful  silken  night-cap,  and  had  exclaimed 
to  the  carven  heads  surmounting  the  bed-posts,  "  May 
the  Lard  sink  me  !  but  I  'm  in  love !  "  and  had  lain 
down  again  with  an  astonished  laugh.  While  sipping 
his  morning  draught  he  made  up  his  mind  to  secure 
the  prize  that  very  day,  in  pursuance  of  which  deter 
mination  he  made  a  careful  toilet,  assuming  a  suit 
that  was  eminently  becoming  to  his  blonde  beauty. 
Also  his  valet  slightly  darkened  the  lower  lids  of  his 
eyes,  thereby  giving  him  a  larger,  more  languishing 
and  melancholy  aspect. 

Patricia,  from  the  depths  of  the  Turkey  worked 
chair,  gazed  with  calm  amusement  upon  her  kneeling 
suitor. 

"  You  talk  beautifully,  cousin,"  she  said  at  length. 
"  'T  is  as  good  as  a  page  from  '  Artemene.' ': 

Sir  Charles  bit  his  lip.  "  It  is  a  page  from  my 
heart,  madam ;  nay,  it  is  my  heart  itself  that  I  show 
you." 

"  And  would  you  forsake  all  those  beautiful  ladies 
who  are  so  madly  in  love  with  you  ?  —  I  vow,  sir,  you 
told  me  so  yourself  !  Let  me  see,  there  was  Lady 
Mary  and  Lady  Betty,  Mistress  Winifred,  the  Count 
ess  of and  Madame  la  Duchesse  de .  Will 

Corydon  leave  all  the  nymphs  lamenting  to  run  after 
a  little  salvage  wench  who  does  not  want  him  ?  " 

"  'S  death,  madam  !  you  mock  me  !  "  cried  the  bar 
onet,  starting  to  his  feet. 


AN   INTERRUPTED   WOOING  93 

"  Sure,  I  meant  no  harm,  cousin  ;  I  but  put  in  a 
good  word  for  the  poor  ladies  at  Whitehall.  I  fear 
that  you  are  but  a  recreant  wooer." 

"  "Will  you  marry  me,  madam  ?  "  demanded  Sir 
Charles,  standing  before  her  with  folded  arms. 

She  slowly  shook  her  head.  "  I  do  not  love  you, 
cousin." 

"  I  will  teach  you  to  do  so." 

"  I  do  not  think  you  can,"  she  said  demurely. 
"  Though  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know  why  I  do  not. 
You  are  a  very  fine  gentleman,  a  soldier  and  a  courtier, 
witty,  brave  and  handsome  —  and  this  match"  —  a 
sigh  —  "  is  my  father's  dearest  wish.  But  I  do  not 
love  you,  sir,  and  I  shall  not  marry  you  until  I  do." 

"  Ah !  "  cried  Sir  Charles,  and  sunk  again  upon 
his  knee.  "  You  give  me  hope  !  I  will  teach  you  to 
love  me  !  I  will  exhibit  towards  you  such  absolute 
fidelity,  such  patient  devotion,  such  uncomplaining 
submission  to  your  cruel  probation,  that  you  will  per 
force  pity  me,  and  pity  will  grow  by  soft  degrees  into 
blessed  love.  I  do  not  despair,  madam !  "  He  pressed 
her  hand  to  his  lips  and  cast  his  fine  eyes  upward  in 
a  killing  look. 

Patricia  gave  a  charming  laugh.  "  As  you  please, 
Sir  Charles.  In  the  mean  time  let  us  be  once  more 
simply  good  friends  and  loving  cousins.  Tell  me  as 
much  as  you  please  of  Lady  Mary's  charms,  but  leave 
Patricia  Verney's  alone." 

Sir  Charles  rose  from  his  knees,  smarting  under  an 
amazed  sense  of  failure,  and  very  angry  with  the  girl 
who  had  discarded  him,  Charles  Carew,  as  smilingly 
as  if  he  had  been  one  of  the  very  provincial  youths 
whom  he  awed  into  awkward  silence  every  time  they 
came  to  Verney  Manor.  Without  doubt  she  deserved 


94  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

the  condign  punishment  which  it  was  in  his  power  to 
inflict  by  sailing  away  upon  the  next  ship  which  should 
leave  for  England.  But  he  was  now  obstinately  bent 
upon  winning  her.  If  not  to-day,  to-morrow ;  and 
if  not  to-morrow,  the  next  day ;  and  if  not  that,  the 
day  after.  He  was  of  the  school  of  Buckingham  and 
Rochester.  He  could  devote  to  the  capture  of  a 
woman  all  the  tireless  energy,  the  strategic  skill,  the 
will,  the  patience,  the  daring,  of  a  great  general.  He 
could  mine  and  countermine,  could  plan  an  ambus 
cade  here,  and  lead  a  forlorn  hope  there,  could  take 
one  intrenchment  by  storm,  and  another  by  treachery. 
And  victory  seldom  forsook  her  perch  upon  his  ban 
ners. 

Life  in  Virginia  was  pleasant  enough,  and  he  could 
afford  to  devote  several  months  to  this  siege.  As  to 
how  it  would  terminate  he  had  not  the  slightest  doubt. 
But  just  now  it  was  the  course  of  wisdom  to  retreat 
upon  the  position  held  yesterday,  and  that  as  quickly 
as  possible.  So  he  smoothed  his  face  into  a  fine  calm, 
modulated  his  voice  into  its  usual  tone  of  languor, 
and  said  with  quiet  melancholy  :  — 

"  You  are  pleased  to  be  cruel,  madam.  I  submit. 
I  will  bide  my  time  until  that  thrice  happy  day  when 
you  will  have  learnt  the  lesson  I  would  teach,  when 
Love,  tyrannous  Love,  shall  compel  your  allegiance 
as  he  does  mine." 

"  A  far  day !  "  said  Patricia  with  soft  laughter. 
"  You  had  best  return  to  Lady  Mary.  I  do  not  think 
that  I  shall  ever  love." 

She  lifted  her  white  arms,  and  clasping  them  be 
hind  her  head,  gazed  at  him  with  soft,  bright,  un 
troubled  eyes  and  smiling  lips.  The  sunlight,  filtering 
through  the  darkened  windows  in  long  bright  stripes, 


AN    INTERRUPTED   WOOING  95 

laid  a  shaft  of  gold  athwart  her  shoulder  and  lit  her 
hair  into  a  glory.  From  out  the  distance  came  the 
colonel's  voice :  — 

"  In  his  train  see  sweet  Peace,  fairest  Queen  of  the  sky, 
Ev'ry  bliss  in  her  look,  ev'ry  charm  in  her  eye. 
Whilst  oppression,  corruption,  vile  slav'ry  and  fear 
At  his  wished  for  return  never  more  shall  appear. 

Your  glasses  charge  high,  't  is  in  great  Charles'  praise, 
In  praise,  in  praise,  'tis  in  great  Charles'  praise." 

Some  one  outside  the  door  coughed,  and  then  rattled 
the  latch  vigorously.  These  precautions  taken,  the 
door  was  opened  and  there  appeared  Mistress  Lettice, 
gorgeously  attired,  and  with  an  extra  row  of  ringlets 
sweeping  her  withered  neck,  and  a  deeper  tinge  of 
vermilion  upon  her  cheeks,  --  for  she  had  waked 
that  morning  with  a  presentiment  that  Mr.  Frederick 
Jones  would  ride  over  in  the  course  of  the  day.  Sir 
Charles  rose  to  hand  her  to  a  chair,  but  she  waved 
him  back  with  a  thin,  beringed  hand. 

"  1  thank  you,  Sir  Charles ;  but  I  will  not  trouble 
you.  I  am  going  down  to  the  summer-house  by  the 
road,  as  I  think  the  air  there  will  cure  my  migraine. 
Patricia,  love,  I  am  looking  for  my  '  Clelie,'  —  the 
fourth  volume.  Have  you  seen  it  ?  " 

"  No,  Aunt  Lettice." 

"It  is  very  strange,"  said  Mrs.  Lettice  plaintively. 
"  I  am  sure  that  I  left  it  in  this  room.  'T  is  that 
careless  slut  of  a  Chloe  who  deserves  a  whipping. 
She  hides  things  away  like  a  magpie." 

"  Look  in  the  window  ;  you  may  have  left  it  there," 
said  Patricia. 

Mrs.  Lettice  approached  the  window,  laid  a  hand 
upon  the  curtain,  and  started  back  with  a  scream. 

"  What  is  it,  madam?  "  cried  the  baronet. 


96  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  'T  is  a  man !  a  horrid,  horrid  man  hiding  there, 
waiting  to  cut  all  onr  throats  in  the  dead  of  night  as 
the  lledemptioner  did  to  the  family  at  Martin-Bran 
don  !  Oh !  Oh  !  Oh !  "  and  Mrs.  Lettice  threw  her 
apron  over  her  head,  and  sank  into  the  nearest  chair. 

Patricia  started  up.  Sir  Charles,  striding  hastily 
towards  the  window,  his  hand  upon  his  sword,  was 
met  by  the  emerging  figure  of  Landless. 

The  two  gazed  at  each  other,  Sir  Charles'  first 
haughty  surprise  fast  deepening  into  passion  as  he 
remembered  that  the  man  before  him  had  assisted  at 
the  scene  of  a  while  before,  had  witnessed  his  discom 
fiture,  had  seen  him  upon  his  knees,  baffled,  repulsed, 
even  laughed  at ! 

He  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  "Well,  sirrah,"  he  said 
between  his  teeth,  "  what  have  you  to  say  for  your 
self  ?  " 

"  That  I  ask  your  pardon,"  said  Landless  steadily. 
"  I  should  have  made  known  my  presence  in  the 
room.  But  at  first  I  thought  you  aware  of  it ;  and 
when  I  discovered  that  you  were  not,  I  ...  it  seemed 
best  to  remain  silent.  I  was  wrong.  I  should  have 
made  some  sign  even  then.  Again,  I  beg  your  par 
don."  He  turned  to  Patricia,  who  stood,  tall,  straight, 
and  coldly  indignant,  beside  the  chair  from  which  she 
had  risen.  "  Madam,"  he  said  in  a  voice  that  faltered, 
despite  himself,  "  I  crave  your  forgiveness." 

She  bit  her  coral  under  lip,  and  looked  at  him  from 
under  veiled  eyelids.  It  was  a  cruel  look,  very  ex 
pressive  of  scorn,  abhorrence,  and  perhaps  of  fear. 

"  My  father  hath  many  unmannerly  servants,"  she 
said  coldly  and  clearly,  "  who  often  provoke  me.  But 
I  pardon  them  because  they  know  no  better.  It  seems 
that  like  allowance  cannot  be  made  for  you.  How- 


AN   INTERRUPTED   WOOING  97 

ever,"  she  smiled  icily,  "I  shall  not  complain  of  you 
to  my  father,  which  assurance  will  doubtless  content 
you." 

Landless  turned  from  burning  red  to  deadly  white. 
His  eyes,  fixed  upon  the  floor,  caught  the  rich  shimmer 
of  her  skirts  as  she  moved  towards  the  door ;  a  mo 
ment  and  she  was  gone,  leaving  the  two  men  facing- 
each  other. 

Between  them  there  existed  a  subtle  but  strong  an 
tagonism.  Sir  Charles  Carew,  courtier  in  a  coarse  and 
shameless  court  masquerading  under  a  glittering  show 
of  outward  graces,  had  taken  lazy  delight  in  heaping 
quiet  insults  upon  the  man  who  could  not  resent  them. 
This  amusement  had  beguiled  the  tedium  of  the  Vir 
ginia  voyage ;  and  when  chance  threw  them  together 
upon  a  Virginia  plantation,  where  life  flowed  on  in 
one  long,  placid  lack  of  variety,  the  sport  became 
doubly  prized.  It  had  to  be  pursued  at  longer  inter 
vals,  but  pursued  it  was.  Heretofore  the  amusement 
had  been  all  upon  one  side :  now,  Sir  Charles  felt  a 
chagrined  suspicion  that  it  was  he  who  had  afforded 
the  entertainment.  Simultaneously  with  arriving  at 
this  conclusion  he  arrived  at  a  point  where  he  was 
coldly  furious. 

Landless  returned  his  look  coolly  and  boldly.  He 
considered  that  he  had  made  quite  sufficient  apology 
for  an  offense  which  was  largely  involuntary,  and  he 
was  in  no  mood  for  further  abasement. 

"  You  are  an  insolent  rascal,"  said  the  baronet 
smoothly. 

Landless  smiled.  "  Sir  Charles  Carew  should  be  a 
good  judge  of  insolence." 

Sir  Charles  took  a  leisurely  pinch  of  snuff,  shook 
the  fallen  grains  from  his  ruffles,  snapped  the  lid  of 


98  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

the  box,  looked  languishingly  at  the  miniature  that 
adorned  it,  replaced  the  box  in  his  pocket,  and  re 
marked,  "  Well,  I  am  waiting !  " 

"  And  for  what  ?  " 

"  To  hear  your  petition  that  I  forbear  to  bring  this 
matter  to  the  notice  of  your  master.  The  lady  merci 
fully  gave  you  her  promise.  I  suppose  I  must  follow 
so  fair  an  example." 

"  Sir  Charles  Carew  may  wait  till  doomsday  to  hear 
that  or  any  other  request  made  by  me  to  him  or  to  the 
lady  —  who  does  not  seem  always  mercifully  in 
clined  —  "  he  broke  off  with  a  slight  and  expressive 
smile. 

Sir  Charles  took  another  pinch  of  snuff.  "May 
the  Lard  blast  me,"  he  drawled,  "  if  they  do  not  teach 
repartee  at  Newgate !  But  I  forget  that  the  tongue  is 
the  only  weapon  of  women  and  slaves." 

"  Some  day  I  hope  to  teach  you  otherwise." 

The  other  laughed.  "  So  the  slave  thinks  he  can 
use  a  sword?  Where  did  he  learn?  In  Newgate, 
from  some  broken  captain,  as  payment  for  imparting 
the  trick  of  stealing  by  the  Book  ?  " 

Landless  forced  himself  to  stand  quiet,  his  arms 
folded,  his  fingers  tightly  clenching  the  sleeves  of  his 
coarse  shirt.  "  Shall  I  tell  Sir  Charles  Carew  where 
I  first  used  my  sword  with  good  effect  ?  "  he  said  in 
an  ominously  quiet  voice.  "  At  Worcester  I  was  but 
a  stripling,  but  I  fought  by  the  side  of  my  father.  I 
remember  that,  young  as  I  was,  I  disabled  a  very 
pretty  perfumed  and  ringleted  Cavalier.  I  think  he 
was  afterwards  sold  to  the  Barbadoes.  And  my  father 
praised  my  sword  play." 

"  Your  father,"  said  the  other,  bringing  his  strong 
white  teeth  together  with  a  click.  "  Like  father,  like 


AN  INTERRUPTED   WOOING  99 

son.  The  latter  a  detected  rogue,  gaol-bird,  and 
slave  ;  the  former  a  d — d  canting,  sniveling  Round 
head  hypocrite  and  traitor,  with  a  text  ever  at  hand 
to  excuse  parricide  and  sacrilege." 

Landless  sprang  forward  and  struck  him  in  the 
face. 

He  staggered  beneath  the  weight  of  the  blow ;  then, 
recovering  himself,  he  whipped  out  his  rapier,  but 
presently  slapped  it  home  again.  "I  am  a  gentle 
man,"  he  said,  with  an  airy  laugh.  "  I  cannot  fight 
you."  And  stood,  slightly  smiling,  and  pressing  his 
laced  handkerchief  to  his  cheek  whence  had  started  a 
few  drops  of  blood. 

Mrs.  Lettice,  whom  curiosity  or  the  search  for  the 
fourth  volume  of  "  Clelie  "  had  detained  in  the  room, 
screamed  loudly  as  the  blow  fell ;  and  Colonel  Ver- 
ney,  appearing  at  the  door,  stopped  short,  and  stared 
from  one  to  the  other  of  the  two  men. 


CHAPTER  X 

LANDLESS   PAYS   THE   PIPER 

THE  hut  of  the  mender  of  nets  stood  upon  a  nar 
row  isthmus  connecting  two  large  tracts  of  marsh. 
That  to  the  eastward  was  partially  submerged  at  high 
tide ;  that  to  the  west,  being  higher  ground,  waved  its 
long  grass  triumphantly  above  the  reaching  waters. 
Upon  this  side  the  marsh  was  separated  from  the 
mainland  of  forest  and  field  by  a  creek  so  narrow  that 
the  great  pines  upon  one  margin  cast  their  shadows 
across  to  the  other,  and  one  fallen  giant  quite  spanned 
the  sluggish  waters. 

The  grass  of  this  marsh  was  annually  cut  for  hay ; 
for  though  the  great  herds  of  cattle  belonging  to  the 
different  plantations  roamed  at  large  through  all  sea 
sons  of  the  year,  seeking  their  sustenance  from  forest 
or  marsh,  the  more  provident  of  the  planters  were 
accustomed  to  make  some  slight  provision  against  the 
winter,  which  might  prove  a  severe  one  with  snow  and 
ice. 

It  was  late  afternoon,  and  the  hay  was  cut.  The 
half  dozen  mowers  threw  themselves  down  upon  the 
stubble,  stretching  out  tired  limbs  and  pillowing 
heated  foreheads  upon  their  arms.  They  had  been 
given  until  sunset  to  do  the  work.  Having  no  task 
master  over  them,  and  being  hid  from  the  tobacco- 
fields  by  a  convenient  coppice  of  pine  and  cedar,  they 
had  set  to  work  in  a  fury  of  diligence,  had  cut  and 


LANDLESS   PAYS   THE   PIPER  101 

stacked  the  grass  in  a  race  with  time,  and  now  found 
themselves  possessed  of  a  precious  hour  in  which  to 
dawdle,  and  swap  opinions  and  tobacco  before  the 
sunset  horn  should  call  them  to  quarters. 

Three  were  indented  servants,  lumbering,  honest- 
visaged  youths  whose  aims  in  life  were  simple  and 
well  defined.  Their  creed  had  but  four  articles :  "  Do 
as  little  as  you  can  consistently  with  keeping  out  of 
the  overseer's  black  books ;  get  your  full  share  of  lob 
lolly  and  bacon,  and  some  one  else's  if  you  are  clever 
enough ;  embrace  every  opportunity  for  reasonable 
mischief  that  is  offered  you  ;  honor  Church  and  King, 
or  say  you  do,  and  Colonel  Verney  will  overlook  most 
pranks."  Of  the  others,  one  was  the  Muggletonian, 
one  the  mulatto,  Luiz  Sebastian,  and  one  a  convict, 
not  Trail,  but  the  red-haired,  pock-marked,  sullen 
wretch  who  had  come  to  the  plantation  with  Trail  and 
Landless,  and  whose  name  was  Roach. 

One  of  the  rustics,  who  seemed  more  intelligent 
than  his  fellows,  and  who  had  a  good-humored  deviltry 
in  his  young  face  and  big  blue  eyes,  began  an  excel 
lent  imitation  of  Dr.  Nash's  exhortation  to  submission 
and  obedience  delivered  upon  the  last  instruction  day 
for  servants,  and  soon  had  his  audience  of  two  guf 
fawing  with  laughter.  The  mulatto  and  the  convict 
edged  by  imperceptible  degrees  farther  and  farther 
away  from  the  others,  until,  within  the  shadow  of  a 
stack  of  grass,  they  lay  side  by  side  and  commenced  a 
muttered  conversation.  The  countenance  of  the  white 
man,  atrocious  villainy  written  large  in  every  linea 
ment,  became  horribly  intent  as  his  amber-hued  com 
panion  talked  in  fluent  low  tones,  emphasizing  what 
he  had  to  say  by  a  restless,  peculiar,  and  sinister  mo 
tion  of  his  long,  yellow  fingers.  At  a  little  distance 


102  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

lay  the  Muggletonian,  his  elbows  on  the  ground,  his 
ghastly  face  in  his  hands,  and  his  eyes  riveted  upon 
the  Geneva  Bible  which  he  had  drawn  from  his 
bosom. 

When  he  had  brought  his  entertainment  to  a  finish, 
the  blue-eyed  youth  rolled  himself  over  and  over  the 
stubble  to  where  the  Muggletonian  lay,  intent  upon  a 
chapter  of  invective.  The  youth  covered  the  page 
with  one  enormous  paw  and  playfully  attempted  to 
insert  the  little  finger  of  the  other  into  the  hole  in 
Porringer's  ear.  "  What  now,  old  Runaway,"  he 
said,  lazily,  "  hunting  up  fresh  curses  to  pour  on  our 
unfort'net  heads  ?  " 

"  Cursed  be  he  who  makes  a  mock  of  age,"  said 
the  Muggletonian,  grimly.  "  May  he  be  even  as  the 
wicked  children  who  cried  to  the  prophet,  '  Go  up, 
thou  baldhead  ! ' " 

The  boy  laughed.  "  Tell  me  when  you  see  brown 
bear  a-coming,"  quoth  he.  "  Losh !  a  bear  steak 
would  taste  mighty  good  after  eternal  bacon  !  " 

Porringer  closed  his  book  and  restored  it  to  his 
bosom.  "  Tell  me,"  he  said,  abruptly,  "  have  you 
seen  aught  of  the  young  man  called  Landless  ?  " 

"  '  The  young  man  called  Landless,'  "  answered  the 
other,  petulantly,  "  has  a  d — d  easy  berth  of  it !  Yes 
terday  evening  I  carried  water  from  the  spring  to  the 
great  house  to  water  Mistress  Patricia's  posies,  and 
every  time  I  passes  the  window  of  the  master's  room 
I  see  that  fellow  a-sitting  at  his  ease  in  a  fine  chair 
before  a  fine  table,  writing  away  as  big  as  all  out  of 
doors.  And  every  time  I  says  to  him,  says  I,  '  I 
reckon  you  think  yourself  as  fine  as  the  Lord  Mayor 
of  London  ?  A  pretty  sec'tary  you  make  !  ' 

"  Have  you  seen  him  to-day  ?  " 


LANDLESS   PAYS   THE   PIPER  103 

"  No,  I  have  n't  seen  him  to-day,  —  but  I  see  some 
one  else.  Mates,"  he  exclaimed,  "  Witch  Margery 's 
coming  down  t'  other  side  of  creek.  I  '11  call  her 
over." 

Scrambling  to  his  feet  he  gave  a  low  halloo  through 
his  hands,  "  Margery !  Margery  !  Come  and  find  the 
road  to  Paradise  !  " 

Margery  waved  her  hand  to  signify  that  she  heard 
and  understood,  and  presently  stepped  upon  the  fallen 
tree  that  spanned  the  stream.  It  was  a  narrow  and  a 
slippery  bridge,  but  she  flitted  across  it  with  the  secure 
grace  of  some  woodland  thing,  and,  staff  in  hand, 
advanced  towards  the  men.  Between  them  and  the 
western  sun  she  stood  still,  a  dark  figure  against  a 
halo  of  gold  light,  and  threw  an  intent  and  searching 
glance  over  the  unbroken  green  of  the  marsh  and  the 
blue  of  the  waters  beyond.  Then  with  a  wild  laugh 
she  came  up  to  them  and  cast  her  staff  wreathed  with 
dark  ivy  upon  the  ground. 

"  The  road  is  not  here,"  she  cried.  "  Here  is  all 
green  grass,  and  beyond  is  the  weary,  weary,  weary 
sea !  There  is  no  long,  bright,  shining  road  to  Para 
dise."  She  sat  down  beside  her  staff,  and  taking  her 
chin  into  her  hand,  stared  fixedly  at  the  ground. 

The  men  gathered  around  her,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Muggletonian,  who,  after  audibly  comparing 
her  to  the  Witch  of  Endor,  turned  on  his  side  and 
drew  his  cap  over  his  eyes  as  if  to  shut  out  the  hated 
sight.  The  convict  took  up  the  staff  and  began  to 
pull  from  it  the  strings  of  ivy. 

"  Put  it  down  !  "  she  said  quickly. 

The  man  continued  to  strip  it  of  its  leafy  mantle. 

"Put  it  down,  can't  you?"  said  the  youth.  "She 
never  lets  any  one  touch  it.  She  says  an  angel  gave 
it  to  her  to  help  her  on  her  way." 


104  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

With  a  snarling  laugh  the  convict  threw  it  from 
him  with  all  his  force.  Whirling  through  the  air  it 
struck  the  water  midway  from  shore  to  shore.  Mar 
gery  sprang  to  her  feet  with  a  loud  cry.  The  boy 
rose  also. 

"D—  n  you!  "he  said,  wrathfully.  "I'd  like  to 
break  it  over  your  misshapen  back  !  Here,  Margery, 
don't  fret.  I  '11  get  it  for  you." 

He  ran  to  the  bank,  dived  into  the  water,  and  in 
three  minutes  was  back  with  the  dripping  mass  in  his 
arms.  He  gave  it  into  Margery's  hands,  saying 
kindly  while  he  shook  himself  like  a  large  spaniel ; 
"  There  !  it  is  n't  hurt  a  mite  !  " 

With  a  cry  of  delight  Margery  seized  the  "  angel's 
gift "  and  kissed  the  hand  that  restored  it.  Then  she 
turned  upon  the  convict. 

"  When  I  go  back  to  my  cabin  in  the  woods,"  she 
said,  solemnly,  and  with  her  finger  up,  "  I  shall  whistle 
all  the  fairy  folk  into  a  ring,  all  the  elves  and  the 
pixies,  and  the  little  brown  gnomes  who  burrow  in  the 
leaves  and  look  for  all  the  world  like  pine  cones,  and 
I  shall  tell  them  what  you  did,  and  to-night  they  will 
come  to  your  cabin,  and  will  pinch  you  black  and 
blue,  and  stick  thorns  into  you,  and  rub  you  with  the 
poison  leaf  until  you  are  blotched  and  swelled  like  the 
great  bull  frog  that  croaks,  croaks,  in  these  marshes." 

There  was  an  uneasy  ring  in  the  convict's  laugh, 
full  of  bravado  as  he  meant  it  to  be.  Margery  con 
tinued  with  an  ominously  extended  forefinger.  "  And 
then  they  will  fly  to  the  great  house  where  the  master 
lies  sleeping,  and  they  will  whisper  to  him  that  you 
took  away  the  angel's  gift  from  poor,  lost  Margery, 
and  he  will  be  angry,  for  he  is  good  to  Margery,  and 
to-morrow  he  will  make  Woodson  do  to  you  what  he 
did  to-day  to  the  Breaking  Heart." 


LANDLESS  PAYS  THE  PIPER  105 

"  To  the  Breaking  Heart !  "  exclaimed  her  auditors. 

Margery  nodded.  "  Yes,  the  Breaking  Heart.  You 
call  him  Landless." 

The  Muggletonian  sat  up.  "  What  dost  thou  mean, 
wretched  woman !  fit  descendant  of  the  mother  of  all 
evil  ?  " 

Margery,  offended  by  his  tone,  only  pursed  up  her 
lips  and  looked  wise. 

"  What  did  the  master  have  done  to  Landless, 
Margery  ?  "  asked  the  youth. 

Margery  threw  her  worn  figure  into  a  singular  pos 
ture.  Standing  perfectly  straight,  she  raised  her  arms 
from  her  sides  and  spread  them  stiffly  out,  the  hands 
turned  inward  in  a  peculiar  fashion.  Then,  still  with 
extended  arms,  she  swayed  slightly  forward  until  she 
appeared  to  lean  against,  or  to  be  fastened  to,  some 
support.  Next  she  threw  her  head  back  and  to  one 
side,  so  that  her  face  might  be  seen  in  three  quarter 
over  her  shoulder.  Her  mobile  features  wreathed 
themselves  in  an  expression  of  pain  and  rage.  Her 
brows  drew  downward,  her  thin  lips  curled  themselves 
away  from  the  gleaming  teeth,  and,  at  intervals  of  half 
a  minute  or  more,  her  eyelids  quivered,  she  shuddered, 
and  her  whole  frame  appeared  to  shrink  together. 

The  pantomime  was  too  expressive  to  be  misunder 
stood  by  men  each  of  whom  had  probably  his  own 
reasons  for  recognizing  some  one  or  all  of  its  features. 
The  convict  broke  into  a  yelling  laugh,  in  which  he 
was  joined,  though  in  a  subdued  and  sinister  fashion, 
by  Luiz  Sebastian.  The  rustics  looked  at  each  other 
with  slow  grins  of  comprehension,  and  the  blue-eyed 
youth  uttered  a  long  shrill  whistle.  The  great  letter 
upon  the  cheek  of  the  Muggletonian  turned  a  deeper 
red,  and  his  eyes  burned.  The  youth  was  curious. 


106  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  Tell  us  all  about  it,  Margery,"  he  said,  coaxingly, 
"  and  when  the  millons  are  ripe,  I  '11  steal  you  one 
every  night." 

Margery  was  nothing  loth.  She  had  attained  the 
reputation  of  an  accomplished  raconteuse,  and  she  was 
proud  of  it.  Her  crazed  imagination  peopled  the 
forest  with  weird  uncanny  things,  and  fearful  tales 
she  told  of  fays  and  bugaboos,  of  spectres  and  awful 
voices  speaking  from  out  the  dank  stillness  of  twilight 
hollows.  Often  she  sent  quaking  to  their  pallets  men 
who  would  have  heard  the  war-whoop  with  scarcely 
quickened  pulses.  And  she  could  tell  of  every-day 
domestic  happenings  as  well  as  of  the  doings  of  the 
powers  of  darkness. 

Her  audience  listened  greedily  to  the  instance  of 
plantation  economy  which  she  proceeded  to  relate. 

"  When  was  this,  woman?  "  demanded  the  Muggle- 
tonian,  when  she  had  finished. 

Margery  pointed  to  the  declining  sun  and  then  up 
wards  to  a  spot  a  little  past  the  zenith. 

"  Just  after  the  nooning,"  said  the  Muggletonian, 
and  began  to  curse. 

Margery  stood  up,  her  staff  in  her  hand,  and  said 
airily,  "  Margery  must  be  going.  The  sun  is  growing 
large  and  red,  and  when  he  has  slipped  away  behind 
the  woods,  the  voices  will  begin  to  call  to  Margery 
from  the  hollow  where  the  brook  falls  into  the  black 
pool.  She  must  be  there  to  answer  them."  She 
moved  away  with  a  rapid  and  gliding  step,  flitted 
across  the  fallen  tree,  and  was  lost  to  sight  in  the 
shadow  of  the  pines  beyond. 

As  the  last  flutter  of  her  light  robe  vanished,  a  figure 
appeared,  walking  rapidly  along  the  opposite  margin 
of  the  creek.  The  vouth's  sio-ht  was  keen.  He  sent 


LANDLESS  PAYS  THE  PIPER  107 

a  piercing  glance  across  the  intervening  distance  and 
broke  into  an  astonished  laugh.  "  Lord  in  Heaven  ! 
it 's  the  man  himself !  "  he  cried  in  an  awed  tone. 
"  Ecod  !  he  must  be  made  of  iron  !  " 

Landless  crossed  the  bridge  and  came  towards  the 
staring  group.  His  face  was  white  and  set,  and  there 
were  dark  circles  beneath  his  eyes,  which  had  the  wide 
unseeing  stare  of  a  sleep-walker.  He  walked  lightly 
and  quickly,  with  a  free,  lithe  swing  of  his  body.  The 
men  looked  at  one  another  in  rough  wonder,  knowing 
what  was  hidden  by  the  coarse  shirt.  He  passed 
them  without  a  word,  apparently  without  knowing 
that  they  were  there,  and  went  on  towards  the  hut  of 
the  mender  of  nets.  Presently  they  saw  him  enter 
and  shut  the  door. 

The  rustics  and  the  convict,  after  one  long  stare  of 
amazement  at  the  distant  hut,  began  to  comment 
freely  and  with  much  recondite  blasphemy  upon  the 
transaction  recorded  by  Margery.  Luiz  Sebastian 
only  smiled  amiably,  like  a  lazy  and  well-disposed 
catamount,  and  the  boy  whistled  long  and  thoughtfully. 
But  the  countenance  of  Master  Win-Grace  Porringer 
wore  an  expression  of  secret  satisfaction. 


CHAPTER  XI 

LANDLESS   BECOMES   A   CONSPIRATOR 

As  Landless  entered  the  hut  Godwyn  looked  up 
with  a  pleased  smile  from  the  net  he  was  mending. 
The  two  men  had  not  seen  each  other  since  the  night 
upon  which  Landless  had  been  brought  to  the  hut  by 
the  Muggletonian.  Twice  had  Landless  laid  his 
plans  for  a  second  visit,  only  to  be  circumvented  each 
time  by  the  watchfulness  of  the  overseer. 

The  smile  died  from  Godwyn's  face  as  he  observed 
his  visitor  more  closely. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

Landless  came  up  to  him  and  held  out  his  hand. 
"  I  am  with  you,  Robert  Godwyn,  heart  and  soul," 
he  said  steadily. 

The  mender  of  nets  grasped  the  hand.  "  I  knew 
you  would  come,"  he  said,  drawing  a  long  breath. 
"  I  have  needed  you  sorely,  lad." 

"  I  could  not  come  before." 

"  I  know :  Porringer  told  me  you  were  prevented. 
I  —  "  He  still  held  Landless'  hand  in  both  his  own, 
and  as  he  spoke  his  slender  fingers  encircled  the 
young  man's  wrist. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  your  pulse  ? "  he  de 
manded.  "  And  your  eyes  !  They  are  glazing !  Sit 
down !  " 

"  It  is  nothing,"  said  Landless,  speaking  with 
effort. 


LANDLESS  BECOMES  A  CONSPIRATOR       109 

"  I  have  been  a  physician,  young  man,"  retorted 
the  other.  "  Sit  down,  or  you  will  fall." 

He  forced  him  down  upon  a  settle  from  which  he 
had  himself  risen,  and  stood  looking  at  him,  his  hand 
upon  his  shoulder.  Presently  his  glance  fell  to  the 
shoulder,  and  he  saw  upon  the  white  cloth  where  his 
hand  pressed  it  against  the  flesh,  a  faint  red  stain 
grow  and  spread. 

The  face  of  the  mender  of  nets  grew  very  dark. 
"  So  !  "  he  said  beneath  his  breath. 

He  limped  across  the  hut  and  drew  from  some 
secret  receptacle  above  the  fireplace  a  flask,  from 
which  he  poured  a  crimson  liquid  into  an  earthen 
cup ;  then  hobbled  back  to  Landless,  sitting  with 
closed  eyes  and  head  bowed  upon  the  table. 

"  Drink,  lad,"  he  said  with  grave  tenderness.  "  'T  is 
a  cordial  of  mine  own  invention,  and  in  the  strength 
it  gave  me  I  fled  from  Cropredy  Bridge  though  woe 
fully  hacked  and  spent.  Drink !  " 

He  held  the  cup  to  the  young  man's  lips.  Land 
less  drained  it  and  felt  the  blood  gush  back  to  his 
heart  and  the  ringing  in  his  ears  to  cease.  Presently 
he  raised  his  head.  "  Thank  you,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
a  man  again." 

"  How  is  it  that  you  are  here  ?  " 

Landless  smiled  grimly.  "  I  imagine  it 's  because 
Woodson  thinks  me  effectually  laid  by  the  heels. 
When  he  goes  the  rounds  at  supper  time  he  will  be 
surprised  to  find  my  pallet  empty." 

"  You  must  be  in  quarters  before  then.  You  must 
not  get  into  further  trouble." 

"  Very  well,"  was  the  indifferent  reply. 

They  were  silent  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
Landless  spoke. 


110  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  I  am  come  to  tell  you,  Master  Godwyn,  that  I 
will  join  in  any  plan,  however  desperate,  that  may 
bring-  me  release  from  an  intolerable  and  degrading 
slavery.  You  may  use  me  as  you  please.  I  will  work 
for  you  with  hands  and  head,  ay,  and  with  my  heart 
also,  for  you  have  been  kind  to  me,  and  I  am  grate 
ful." 

The  mender  of  nets  touched  him  softly  upon  the 
hand.  "  Lad,"  he  said,  "  I  once  had  a  sou  who  was 
my  pride  and  my  hope.  In  his  young  manhood  he 
fell  at  the  storming  of  Tredah.  But  the  other  night 
when  I  talked  with  you,  I  seemed  to  see  him  again, 
and  my  heart  yearned  over  him." 

Landless  held  out  his  hand.  "  I  have  no  father," 
he  said  simply. 

"  Now,"  at  length  said  Godwyn,  "  to  business  !  I 
must  not  keep  you  now,  but  come  to  me  to-morrow 
night  if  you  can  manage  it.  You  may  speak  to  Win- 
Grace  Porringer,  and  he  will  help  you.  I  will  then 
tell  you  all  my  arrangements,  give  you  figures  and 
names,  possess  you,  in  short,  with  all  that  I,  and  I 
alone,  know  of  this  matter.  And  my  heart  is  glad 
within  me,  for  though  my  broken  body  is  tied  to  my 
bench  here,  I  shall  now  have  a  lieutenant  indeed.  I 
have  conceived ;  you  shall  execute.  The  son  of  AVar- 
ham  Landless,  if  he  have  a  tithe  of  his  father's  pow 
ers,  will  do  much,  very  much.  For  more  than  a  year 
I  have  longed  for  such  an  one." 

"  Tell  me  but  one  thing,"  said  Landless,  "  and  I  am 
content.  You  have  so  planned  this  business  that  there 
shall  be  no  wanton  bloodshed  ?  You  intend  no  harm, 
for  instance,  to  the  family  yonder?"  with  a  motion 
of  his  head  towards  the  great  house. 

"  God  forbid !  "  said  the  other  quickly.     "  I   tell 


you  that  not  one  woman  or  innocent  soul  shall  suffer. 
Nor  do  I  wish  harm  to  the  master  of  this  plantation, 
who  is,  after  the  lights  of  a  Malignant,  a  true  and 
kindly  man,  and  a  gentleman.  This  is  what  will  hap 
pen.  Upon  an  appointed  day  the  servants,  Oliverian, 
indented  and  convict,  upon  all  the  plantations  seated 
upon  the  bay,  the  creeks,  the  three  rivers,  and  over 
in  Accomac,  will  rise.  They  will  overpower  their 
overseers  and  those  of  their  fellows  who  may  remain 
faithful  to  the  masters,  will  call  upon  the  slaves  to 
follow  them,  and  will  march  (the  force  of  each  plan 
tation  under  a  captain  or  captains  appointed  by  me), 
to  an  appointed  place  in  this  county.  All  going  well, 
there  should  be  mustered  at  that  place  within  the 
space  of  a  day  and  a  night  a  force  of  some  two  thou 
sand  men  —  such  an  army  as  this  colony  hath  never 
seen,  an  army  composed  in  large  measure  of  honest 
folk,  and  officered  by  four  hundred  men  who,  bold  and 
experienced,  and  strong  in  righteous  wrath,  should 
in  themselves  be  sufficient  to  utterly  deject  the  adver 
sary.  We  will  make  of  that  force,  motley  as  it  is,  a 
second  New  Model,  as  well  disciplined  and  as  irresist 
ible  as  the  first ;  and  who  should  be  its  general  but 
the  son  of  that  Warham  Landless  whom  Cromwell 
loved,  and  whose  old  regiment  is  well  represented 
here?  Then  will  we  fight  in  honest  daylight  with 
those  who  come  against  us  —  and  conquer.  And  we 
will  not  stain  our  victory.  Your  nightmare  vision 
of  midnight  butchery  is  naught.  There  will  be  no 
such  thing." 

Through  the  quiet  of  the  evening  came  to  them  the 
clear,  sweet,  and  distant  winding  of  a  horn. 

"  'T  is  the  call  to  quarters,"  said  Godwyn.  "  You 
must  go,  lad." 


112  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

Landless  rose.  "  I  will  come  to-morrow  night  if  I 
can.  Till  then,  farewell,  —  father."  He  ended  with 
a  smile  on  his  dark,  stern  face  that  turned  it  into  a 
boy's  again. 

"  May  the  Lord  bless  thee,  my  son,"  said  the  other 
in  his  gravely  tender  voice.  "  May  he  cause  His  face 
to  shine  upon  thee,  and  bring  thee  out  of  all  thy 
troubles." 

As  Landless  turned  to  leave  the  hut  the  mender  of 
nets  had  a  sudden  thought.  "  Come  hither,"  he  said, 
"and  let  me  show  you  my  treasure  house.  Should 
aught  happen  to  me,  it  were  well  that  you  should  know 
of  it." 

He  took  up  the  precious  flask  from  the  table,  and 
followed  by  Landless,  limped  across  the  hut  to  the 
fireplace.  The  logs  above  it  appeared  as  solid,  gnarled 
and  stained  by  time  as  any  of  the  others  constituting 
the  walls  of  the  hut,  but  upon  the  pressure  of  God- 
wyn's  finger  upon  some  secret  spring,  a  section  of  the 
wood  fell  outwards  like  the  lid  of  a  box,  disclosing  a 
hollow  within. 

From  this  hollow  came  the  dull  gleam  of  gold,  and 
by  the  side  of  the  little  heap  of  coin  lay  several  folded 
papers  and  a  pair  of  handsomely  mounted  pistols. 

Godwyn  touched  the  papers.  "  The  names  or  the 
signs  of  the  Oliverians  are  here,"  he  said,  "together 
with  those  of  the  leaders  of  the  indented  servants  con 
cerned  with  us.  It  is  our  solemn  League  and  Cove 
nant  —  and  our  death  warrant  if  discovered.  The 
gold  I  had  with  me,  hidden  upon  my  person,  when  I 
was  brought  to  Virginia.  The  pistols  were  the  gift 
of  a  friend.  Both  may  be  useful  some  day." 

"  Hide  them  !  Quick !  "  said  Landless  in  a  low 
voice,  and  wheeled  to  face  a  man  who  stood  in  the 


LANDLESS  BECOMES  A  CONSPIRATOR       113 

doorway,  blinking  into  the  semi  -  darkness  of  the 
room. 

The  lid  of  the  hollow  swung  to  with  a  click,  the  log 
assumed  its  wonted  appearance,  and  the  mender  of 
nets,  too,  turned  upon  the  intruder. 

It  was  the  convict  Roach  who  had  pushed  the  door 
open  and  now  stood  with  his  swollen  body  and  bestial 
face  darkening  the  glory  of  the  sunset  without.  There 
was  no  added  expression  of  greed  or  of  awakened 
curiosity  upon  his  sullenly  ferocious  countenance. 
He  might  have  seen  or  he  might  not.  They  could  not 
tell. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  asked  Landless  sternly. 

"  Thought  as  you  might  not  have  heard  the  horn, 
comrade,  and  so  might  get  into  more  trouble.  So  I 
thought  I  'd  come  over  and  warn  you."  All  this  in  a 
low,  hoarse  and  dogged  voice. 

"  Don't  call  me  comrade.  Yes  :  I  heard  the  horn. 
You  had  best  hasten  or  you  may  get  into  trouble 
yourself." 

The  man  received  this  intimation  with  a  malevolent 
grin.  "  Talking  big  eases  the  smart,  don't  it  ?  "  and 
he  broke  into  his  yelling  laugh. 

"  Get  out  of  this,"  said  Landless,  a  dangerous  light 
in  his  eyes. 

The  man  stopped  laughing  and  began  to  curse. 
But  he  went  his  way,  and  Landless,  too,  after  waiting 
to  give  him  a  start,  left  the  hut  and  turned  his  steps 
towards  the  cpaarters. 

Upon  the  other  side  of  the  creek,  sitting  beneath  a 
big  sweet  gum,  and  whittling  away  at  a  piece  of  stick 
weed,  he  found  the  boy  who,  the  day  before,  had  accused 
him  of  feeling  as  fine  as  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London. 
He  sprang  to  his  feet  as  Landless  approached,  and 


114  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

cheerfully  remarking  that  their  paths  were  the  same, 
strode  on  side  by  side  with  him. 

"  I  say,"  he  said  presently  with  ingenuous  frank 
ness,  "  I  asks  your  pardon  for  what  I  said  to  you  yes 
terday.  I  dessay  you  make  a  very  good  Sec'tary,  and 
Losh  !  the  Lord  Mayor  himself  might  n't  have  dared 
to  strike  that  d — d  fine  Court  spark.  They  say  he 
has  fought  twenty  duels." 

"  You  have  my  full  forgiveness,"  said  Landless, 
smiling. 

"That's  right!"  cried  the  other,  relieved.  "I 
hates  for  a  man  to  bear  malice." 

"  I  have  seen  you  before  yesterday.  I  forget  how 
they  call  you." 

"  Dick  Whittington." 

"  Dick  Whittington  !  " 

"  Ay.  Leastways  the  parish  over  yonder,"  a  jerk 
of  his  thumb  towards  England,  "  called  me  Dick,  and 
I  names  myself  Whittington.  And  why?  Because 
like  that  other  Dick  I  runs  away  to  make  my  fortune. 
Because  like  him  I  've  little  besides  empty  pockets 
and  a  hopeful  heart.  And  because  I  means  to  go 
back  some  fine  day,  jingling  money,  and  wearing  gold 
lace,  and  become  the  mayor  of  Banbury.  Or  maybe 
I  '11  stop  in  Virginia,  and  become  a  trader  and  Bur 
gess.  I  could  send  for  Joyce  Whitbread,  and  marry 
her  here  as  well  as  in  Banbury." 

Landless  laughed.     "  So  you  ran  away  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  some  four  years  ago,  just  after  I  came  to 
man's  estate."  (He  was  about  nineteen.)  "  Stowed 
myself  away  on  board  the  Mary  Hart  at  Plymouth. 
Made  the  Virginny  voyage  for  my  health,  and  on  land 
ing  was  sold  by  the  captain  for  my  passage  money. 
Time  's  out  in  three  years,  but  I  may  begin  to  make 


my  fortune  before  then,  for  —  "  He  stopped  speak 
ing  to  give  Landless  a  sidelong  glance  from  out  his 
blue  eyes,  and  then  went  on. 

"  A  voice  speaks  through  the  land,  from  the  Poto 
mac  to  the  James,  and  from  the  falls  of  the  Far  West 
to  the  great  bay.  What  says  the  voice  ?  " 

Landless  answered,  "  The  voice  saith,  '  Comfort  ye, 
my  people,  for  the  hour  of  deliverance  is  at  hand.' ' 

"  It  's  all  right !  "  cried  the  boy  gleefully.  "  I 
thought  you  was  one  of  us.  We  are  all  in  the  fun 
together !  " 

"  We  are  in  for  a  desperate  enterprise  that  may 
hang  every  man  of  us,"  said  Landless  sternly.  "  I  do 
not  see  the  '  fun,'  and  I  think  you  talk  something 
loudly  for  a  conspirator." 

The  boy  was  nothing  abashed.  "  There 's  none  to 
hear  us,"  he  said.  "  I  can  be  as  mum  as  t'  other  Dick's 
cat  when  there  are  ears  around.  As  for  fun,  Losh  ! 
what  better  fun  than  fighting  !  " 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  pretty  good  time  as  it  is." 

"  Lord,  yes !  Life  's  jolly  enough,  but  you  see 
there  's  mighty  little  variety  in  it." 

"  I  have  found  variety  enough,"  said  Landless. 

"  Oh,  you  've  been  here  only  a  few  weeks.  Wait 
until  you  've  spent  years,,  and  have  gone  through  your 
experience  of  to-day  half  a  dozen  times,  and  you  will 
find  it  tame  enough." 

"  I  shall  not  wait  to  see." 

"  Then  a  man  gets  tired  of  working  for  another 
man,  and  hankers  for  the  time  when  he  can  set  up  for 
himself,  especially  if  there  's  a  pretty  girl  waiting  for 
him."  A  tremendous  sigh.  "  And  then  there  's  the 
fun  of  the  rising.  Losh !  a  man  must  break  loose 
now  and  then  !  " 


116  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  For  all  of  which  good  reasons  you  have  become  a 
conspirator  ?  " 

"  Ay,  it  does  n't  pay  to  run  away.  You  are  hunted 
to  death  in  the  first  place,  and  well  nigh  whipped  to 
death  if  you  are  caught,  as  you  always  are.  And  then 
they  double  your  time.  This  promises  better." 

"  If  it  succeeds." 

"  Oh,  it  will  succeed  !  Why  should  n't  it  with  old 
Godwyn,  who  is  more  cunning  than  a  red  fox  or  a 
Nansemond  medicine-man,  at  its  head  ?  Besides,  if  it 
fails,  hanging  is  the  worst  that  can  happen,  and  we 
will  have  had  the  fun  of  the  rising." 

"  You  are  a  philosopher." 

"What's  that?" 

"  A  wise  man.  Tell  me :  If  this  plot  remains  un 
discovered,  and  the  rising  actually  takes  place,  there 
will  be  upon  each  plantation  before  we  can  get  away 
an  interval  of  confusion  and  perhaps  violence.  'T  is 
then  that  the  greatest  danger  will  threaten  the  plant 
ers  and  their  families.  You  yourself  have  no  ill  feel 
ing  towards  your  master  or  his  family  ?  You  would 
do  them  no  unprovoked  mischief  ?  " 

The  boy  opened  his  big  blue  eyes,  and  shook  his 
head  in  a  vehement  negative. 

"  Lord  bless  your  soul,  no !. "  he  cried.  "  I  would  n't 
hurt  a  hair  of  Mistress  Patricia's  pretty  head,  nor  of 
Mistress  Lettice's  wig,  neither.  As  for  the  master, 
if  he  lets  us  go  peaceably,  we  '11  go  with  three  cheers 
for  him  !  Bless  you  !  they  're  safe  enough  !  " 

The  sanguine  youth  next  announced  that  he  smelt 
bacon  frying,  and  that  his  stomach  cried  "  Trencher !  " 
and  started  off  in  a  lope  for  the  quarters,  now  only  a 
few  yards  distant.  Landless  followed  more  sedately, 
and  reached  his  cabin  without  being  observed  by  the 
overseer. 


CHAPTER  XII 

A    DARK   DEED 

THKEE  weeks  passed,  weeks  in  which  Landless  saw 
the  mender  of  nets  some  eight  times  in  all,  making 
each  visit  at  night,  stealthily  and  under  constant  dan 
ger  of  detection.  Thrice  he  had  assisted  at  confer 
ences  of  the  Oliverians  from  the  neighboring  planta 
tions,  who  now,  by  virtue  of  his  descent,  his  intimacy 
with  Godwyn,  and  his  very  apparent  powers,  accepted 
him  as  a  leader.  Upon  the  first  of  these  occasions  he 
had  set  his  case  before  them  in  a  few  plain,  straight 
forward  words,  and  they  believed  him  as  Godwyn  had 
done,  and  he  became  in  their  eyes,  not  a  convict,  but, 
as  he  in  truth  was,  an  Oliverian  like  themselves,  and 
a  sufferer  for  the  same  cause.  The  remaining  inter 
views  had  been  between  him  and  Godwyn  alone.  In 
the  lonely  hut  on  the  marsh,  beneath  starlight  or  moon 
light,  the  two  had  held  much  converse,  and  had  grown 
to  love  each  other.  The  mender  of  nets,  though  pos 
sessed  of  a  calm  and  high  serenity  of  nature  that 
defied  trials  beneath  which  a  weaker  soul  had  sunk, 
was  a  man  of  many  sorrows ;  he  had  the  wisdom,  too, 
of  years  and  experience,  and  he  sympathized  with, 
soothed,  and  counseled  his  younger  yoke-fellow  with 
a  parental  tenderness  that  was  very  grateful  to  the 
other's  more  ardent,  undisciplined,  and  deeply  wounded 
spirit. 

Upon  the  night  of  their  eighth  meeting  they  held 


118  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

a  long  and  serious  consultation.  Affairs  were  in 
such  train  that  little  remained  to  be  done,  but  to  set 
the  day  for  the  rising,  and  to  send  notice  by  many 
devious  and  underground  ways  to  the  Oliverian  cap 
tains  scattered  throughout  the  Colony.  Landless 
counseled  immediate  action,  the  firing  of  the  fuse  at 
once  by  starting  the  secret  intelligence  which  would 
spread  like  wildfire  from  plantation  to  plantation. 
Then  would  the  mine  be  sprung  within  the  week. 
There  was  nothing  so  dangerous  as  delay,  when  any 
hour,  any  moment  might  bring  discovery  and  ruin. 

Godwyn  was  of  a  different  opinion.  It  was  then 
August,  the  busiest  and  most  unhealthy  season  of  the 
year,  when  the  servants  and  slaves,  weakened  by  un 
remitting  toil,  were  succumbing  by  scores  to  the  fever. 
It  was  the  time  when  the  masters  looked  for  disaffec 
tion,  when  the  overseers  were  most  alert,  when  a  gen 
eral  watchfulness  pervaded  the  Colony.  The  planters 
stayed  at  home  and  attended  to  their  business,  the 
trainbands  were  vigilant,  the  servant  and  slave  laws 
were  construed  with  a  harshness  unknown  at  other 
seasons  of  the  year.  There  were  few  ships  in  harbor 
compared  with  the  number  which  would  assemble  for 
their  fall  lading  a  month  later,  and  Godwyn  counted 
largely  upon  the  seizure  of  the  ships.  In  a  month's 
time  the  tobacco  would  be  largely  in,  —  a  weighty 
consideration,  for  tobacco  was  money,  and  the  infant 
republic  must  have  funds.  The  ships  would  be  in 
harbor,  and  their  sailors  ready  for  anything  that  would 
rid  them  of  their  captains  ;  the  heat  and  sickness  of 
the  summer  would  be  abated ;  the  work  slackened, 
and  discipline  relaxed.  The  danger  of  discovery  was 
no  greater  now  than  it  had  been  all  along,  and  the 
good  to  be  won  by  biding  their  time  might  be  inesti- 


A   DARK   DEED  119 

in  able.  The  clanger  was  there,  but  they  would  face  it, 
and  wait,  —  say  until  the  second  week  in  September. 

Landless  acquiesced,  scarcely  convinced,  but  willing 
to  believe  that  the  other  knew  whereof  he  spoke,  and 
conscious,  too,  that  his  own  impatience  of  the  yoke 
which  galled  his  spirit  almost  past  endurance  might 
incline  him  to  a  reckless  and  disastrous  haste. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  he  rose  to  leave  the 
hut  on  the  marsh.  Godwyn  took  up  his  stick.  "  I 
will  walk  with  you  to  the  banks  of  the  creek,"  he 
said.  "  'T  is  a  feverish  night,  and  I  have  an  aching 
head.  The  air  will  do  me  good,  and  I  will  then 
sleep." 

The  young  man  gave  him  his  arm  with  a  quiet,  pro 
tecting  tenderness  that  was  very  dear  to  the  mender 
of  nets,  and  leaning  upon  it,  he  limped  through  the 
fifty  feet  of  long  grass  to  the  border  of  the  creek. 

"  Shall  I  not  wait  to  help  you  back  ?  "  asked  Land 
less. 

"  No,"  said  the  other,  with  his  peculiarly  sweet  and 
touching  smile.  "  I  will  sit  here  awhile  beneath  the 
stars  and  say  my  hymn  of  praise  to  the  Creator  of 
Night.  You  need  not  fear  for  me  ;  my  trusty  stick 
will  carry  me  safely  back.  Go,  lad,  thou  lookest 
weary  enough  thyself,  and  should  be  sleeping  after 
thy  long  day  of  toil." 

"  I  am  loth  to  leave  you  to-night,"  said  Landless. 

Godwyn  smiled.  "  And  I  am  always  loth  to  see 
you  go,  but  it  were  selfish  to  keep  you  listening  to  a 
garrulous,  wakeful  old  man,  when  your  young  frame 
is  in  sore  need  of  rest.  Good-night,  dear  lad." 

Landless  gave  him  his  hands.  "  Good-night,"  he 
said. 

He   stood  below  the  other  at  the  foot  of  the  low 


120  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

bank  to  which  was  moored  his  stolen  boat.  Godwyn 
stooped  and  kissed  him  upon  the  forehead.  "  My 
heart  is  tender  to-night,  lad,"  he  said.  '*  I  see  in  thee 
my  Robert.  Last  night  I  dreamed  of  him  and  of  his 
mother,  my  dearly  loved  and  long-lost  Eunice,  and 
ah  !  I  sorrowed  to  awake !  " 

Landless  pressed  his  hand  in  silence,  and  in  a 
moment  the  water  widened  between  them  as  Landless 
bent  to  his  oars  and  the  crazy  little  bark  shot  out  into 
the  middle  of  the  stream.  At  the  entrance  of  the 
first  labyrinthine  winding  he  turned  and  looked  back 
to  see  Godwyn  standing  upon  the  bank,  the  moonlight 
silvering  his  thin  hair  and  high  serene  brow.  In  the 
mystic  white  light,  against  the  expanse  of  solemn 
heaven,  he  looked  a  vision,  a  seer  or  prophet  risen 
from  beneath  the  sighing  grass.  He  waved  his  hand 
to  Landless,  saying  in  his  quiet  voice,  "  Until  to-mor 
row  ! "  The  boat  made  the  turn,  and  the  lonely 
figure  and  the  hut  beyond  it  vanished,  leaving  only 
the  moonlight,  the  wash  and  lap  of  water,  and  the 
desolate  sighing  of  the  marsh  grass. 

There  were  many  little  channels  and  threadlike 
streams  debouching  from  the  main  creek,  and  sepa 
rated  from  it  by  clumps  and  lines  of  partially  sub 
merged  grass,  growing  in  places  to  the  height  of 
reeds.  While  passing  one  of  these  clumps  it  occurred 
to  Landless  that  the  grass  quivered  and  rustled  in  an 
unusual  fashion.  He  rested  upon  his  oars  and  gazed 
at  it  curiously,  then  stood  up,  and  parting  the  reeds, 
looked  through  into  the  tiny  channel  upon  the  other 
side.  There  was  nothing  to  be  seen,  and  the  rustling 
had  ceased.  "  A  heron  has  its  nest  there,  or  a  turtle 
plunged,  shaking  the  reeds,"  said  Landless  to  himself, 
and  went  his  way. 


A  DARK   DEED  121 

Some  three  hours  later  he  was  roused  from  the 
heavy  sleep  of  utter  fatigue  by  the  voice  of  the  over 
seer.  Bewildered,  he  raised  himself  upon  his  elbow 
to  stare  at  Woodson's  grim  face,  framed  in  the  door 
way  and  lit  by  the  torch  held  by  Win-Grace  Porrin 
ger,  who  stood  behind  him.  "You  there,  you  Land 
less  !  "  cried  the  overseer,  impatiently.  "  You  sleep 
like  the  dead.  Tumble  out !  You  and  Porringer  are 
to  go  to  Godwyn's  after  that  new  sail  for  the  Nancy. 
Sir  Charles  Carew  has  taken  it  into  his  head  to  run 
over  to  Accomac,  and  he 's  got  to  have  a  spick  and 
span  white  rag  to  sail  under.  Hurry  up,  now !  He 
wants  to  start  by  sun  up,  and  I  clean  forgot  to  send 
for  it  last  night.  You  're  to  be  back  within  the  hour, 
d'  ye  hear  ?  Take  the  four-oared  shallop.  There  's 
the  key,"  and  the  overseer  strode  away,  muttering 
something  about  patched  sails  being  good  enough  for 
Accomac  folk. 

Landless  and  the  Muggletonian  stumbled  through 
the  darkness  to  the  wharf  behind  the  quarters,  where 
they  loosed  the  shallop,  and  in  it  shot  across  the  inlet 
towards  the  mouth  of  the  creek. 

"  I  will  row,"  said  the  Muggletonian  with  grim 
kindness  ;  "  you  look  worn  out.  I  suppose  you  were 
out  last  night?  " 

Landless  nodded,  and  the  other  bent  to  the  oars 
with  a  will  that  sent  them  rapidly  across  the  sheet 
of  water.  A  cold  and  uncertain  light  began  to  stream 
from  the  ashen  east,  and  the  air  was  dank  and  heavy 
with  the  thick  mist  that  wrapped  earth  and  water 
like  a  shroud.  It  swallowed  up  the  land  behind 
them,  and  through  it  the  nearer  marshes  gloomed 
indistinctly,  dark  patches  upon  the  gray  surface  of  the 
water.  The  narrow  creek  was  hard  to  find  amidst  the 


122  PRISONERS  OF   HOPE 

universal  dimness.  The  Muggletonian  rowed  slowly, 
peering  about  him  with  small,  keen  eyes.  At  length 
with  a  grunt  of  satisfaction  he  pointed  to  a  pale  streak 
dividing  two  masses  of  gray,  and  had  turned  the 
boat's  head  towards  it,  when  through  the  stillness  they 
caught  the  sound  of  oars.  The  next  moment  a  boat 
glided  from,  the  creek  and  began  to  skirt  the  shores 
of  the  inlet,  hugging  the  banks  and  moving  slowly 
and  stealthily.  It  was  still  so  dark  that  they  could 
tell  nothing  more  than  that  it  held  one  man. 

"Now,  who  is  that?"  said  the  Muggletonian. 
"  And  what  has  he  been  doing  up  that  creek  ?  " 

"  Hail  him,"  Landless  replied. 

Porringer  sent  a  low  halloo  across  the  water,  but  if 
the  man  heard  he  made  no  sign.  The  boat,  one  of 
the  crazy  dugouts  of  which  every  plantation  had  store, 
held  on  its  stealthy  way,  but  being  over  close  to  the 
bank  presently  ran  upon  a  sand  bar.  Its  occupant 
was  forced  to  rise  to  his  feet  in  order  to  shove  it  off. 
He  stood  upright  but  a  moment,  but  in  that  moment, 
and  despite  the  partial  darkness,  Landless  recognized 
the  misshapen  figure. 

"  It  is  the  convict,  Roach  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Ay,"  said  the  Muggletonian,  "  and  an  ill-omened 
night  bird  he  is  !  May  he  be  cursed  from  the  sole  of 
his  foot  to  the  crown  of  his  head  !  May  there  be  no 
soundness  in  him  !  May  —  What  are  you  about, 
friend  ?  "  he  cried,  interrupting  himself.  "  There  's  no 
need  of  two  pair  of  oars.  We  have  plenty  of  time." 

Landless  bent  to  the  second  pair  of  oars.  "  He 
came  down  the  creek,"  he  said  in  a  voice  that  sounded 
strained  and  unnatural. 

The  other  stared  at  him.  "  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 
he  demanded. 


A  DARK   DEED  123 

"  Nothing  :  but  let  us  hasten." 

Porringer  stared,  but  fell  in  with  the  humor  of  his 
companion,  and  the  shallop,  impelled  by  strong  arms, 
shot  into  the  creek  and  along  its  mazy  windings  with 
the  swiftness  of  a  bird. 

Landless  rowed  with  compressed  lips  and  stony  face, 
a  great  fear  tugging  at  his  heart.  Porringer  too  was 
silent.  The  vapor  hung  so  heavily  upon  the  plains 
of  marsh  level  with  their  heads  that  they  seemed  to 
be  piercing  a  dense,  low  cloud.  The  light  was  grow 
ing  stronger,  but  the  earth  still  lay  like  a  corpse,  livid, 
dumb,  cold  and  still.  There  was  a  chill  stagnant 
smell  in  the  air. 

Arriving  at  the  stake  in  the  bank  below  the  hut, 
they  fastened  the  boat  to  it,  and  stepping  out,  moved 
through  the  dense  mist  to  where  the  hut  loomed  indis 
tinctly  before  them,  looking  in  the  blank  and  awful 
stillness  like  a  forlorn  wreck  drifting  upon  an  infinite 
sea  of  soundless  foam. 

"  The  door  is  open,"  said  Landless. 

"  Ay,  I  see,"  answered  Porringer.  "  Does  he  wish 
to  die  before  his  time  of  the  fever,  that  he  lets  this 
graveyard  mist  and  stench  creep  in  upon  him  in  his 
sleep  ?  " 

They  spoke  in  low  tones  as  though  they  feared  to 
waken  the  sleeper  whom  they  had  come  to  waken. 
When  they  reached  the  hut,  they  knocked  upon  the 
lintel  of  the  door  and  called  Godwyn  by  name,  once, 
twice,  thrice.  There  was  no  answer. 

"  Come  on  ! "  said  Landless  hoarsely,  and  entered 
the  hut,  followed  by  the  other.  The  cold  twilight, 
filtering  through  the  low  and  narrow  doorway,  was 
powerless  to  dispel  the  darkness  within.  Landless 
groped  his  way  to  the  pallet  and  stooped  down. 


124  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  He  is  not  here,"  lie  said. 

The  Muggletonian  stumbled  over  a  sheaf  of  oars, 
sending  them  to  the  floor  with  a  noise  that  in  the 
utter  stillness,  and  to  their  strained  ears,  sounded  ap 
palling. 

"  It 's  the  darkness  of  Tophet,"  muttered  Porringer. 
"  If  I  could  find  his  flint  and  steel ;  there  are  pine 
knots,  I  know,  in  the  corner  —  God  in  Heaven  !  " 

"  What  is  it?  What  is  the  matter?  "  cried  Land 
less,  as  he  staggered  against  him. 

"  It 's  his  face  !  "  gasped  the  other.  "  There  upon 
the  table  !  I  put  my  hand  upon  it.  It 's  cold  !  " 

Landless  rushed  to  the  fireplace  where  he  knew  the 
tinder-box  to  be  kept,  and  then  groped  for  and  found 
the  heap  of  pine  knots.  A  moment  more  and  the  fat 
wood  was  burning  brightly,  casting  its  red  light 
throughout  the  hut,  and  choking  back  the  pale  day 
light. 

The  familiar  room  with  its  familiar  furnishing  of 
chest  and  settle  and  pallet,  of  hanging  nets  and  piles 
of  dingy  sail,  sprung  into  sight,  but  with  it  sprung 
into  sight  something  unfamiliar,  strange,  and  dreadful. 

It  was  the  body  of  the  mender  of  nets,  flung  face 
upwards  across  the  rude  table,  the  head  hanging  over 
the  edge,  and  the  face,  which  but  a  few  short  hours 
before  had  looked  upon  Landless  with  such  a  bright 
and  patient  serenity,  blackened  and  distorted.  Upon 
the  throat  were  dark  marks,  the  print  of  ten  murder 
ous  fingers. 

With  a  bitter  cry  Landless  fell  upon  his  knees  be 
side  the  table,  and  pressed  his  face  against  the  cold 
hand  flung  backwards  over  the  head  of  the  murdered 
man.  Porringer  began  to  curse.  With  white  lips 
and  burning  eyes  he  hurled  anathemas  at  the  mur- 


A  DARK  DEED  125 

derer.  He  cursed  him  by  the  powers  of  light  and 
darkness,  by  the  earth,  the  sea,  and  the  air;  by  all 
the  plagues  of  the  two  Testaments.  Landless  broke 
the  torrent  of  his  maledictions. 

"  Silence  !  "  he  said  sternly.  "  He  would  have  for 
given."  Presently  he  rose  from  the  ground,  and  tak 
ing  the  body  in  his  arms,  placed  it  upon  the  pallet, 
and  reverently  composed  the  limbs.  Then  he  turned 
to  the  fireplace.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  the  hiding 
place  had  been  visited.  The  spring  was  broken,  and 
the  lid  had  been  struck  and  jammed  into  place  by  a 
powerful  and  hasty  hand.  Landless  wrenched  it  off. 
Before  him  lay  the  pistols ;  but  the  gold  and  papers 
were  gone.  He  turned  to  the  Muggletonian,  standing 
beside  him  with  staring  eyes. 

"  Listen !  "  he  said.  "  There  was  gold  here.  The 
wretch  whom  we  passed  but  now  knew  of  it  —  never 
mind  how  —  and  for  it  he  has  murdered  the  only 
friend  I  had  on  earth.  There  will  come  a  day  when 
I  will  avenge  him.  There  were  papers  here,  lists  with 
the  signatures  of  Oliverians,  Redemptioners,  sailors,  — 
of  all  classes  concerned  in  this  undertaking,  save 
only  the  slaves  and  the  convicts.  There  were  letters 
from  Maryland  and  New  England,  and  a  correspond 
ence  which  would  provide  whipping-post  and  pillory 
for  other  Nonconformists  than  the  Quakers.  All 
these,  the  actual  proofs  of  this  conspiracy,  are  in 
his  —  that  murderer's  —  hands,  —  where  they  must 
not  stay." 

"  What  wilt  tliou  do,  friend  ?  "  said  the  Muggle 
tonian  eagerly.  "  Wilt  thou  take  the  murderer  aside 
in  the  gate  to  speak  with  him  quietly,  and  smite  him 
under  the  fifth  rib,  as  did  Joab  to  Abner  the  son  of 
Ner,  who  slew  his  brother  Asahel  ?  " 


126  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  God  forbid,"  said  Landless.  "  But  I  will  take 
them  from  him  before  he  knows  their  contents.  One 
moment,  and  we  will  go." 

He  crossed  to  the  pallet  and  stood  beside  it,  looking 
down  on  the  shell  that  lay  upon  it  with  a  stern  and 
quiet  grief.  One  of  the  cold  white  hands  was  clenched 
upon  something.  He  stooped,  and  with  difficulty 
unclasped  the  rigid  fingers.  The  something  was  a 
ragged  lock  of  coarse  red  hair. 

"  You  see,"  he  said. 

"  Ay,"  said  the  Muggletonian  grimly.  "  It 's  evi 
dence  enough.  There  's  but  one  man  in  this  county 
with  hair  like  that.  Leave  that  lock  where  it  is,  and 
that  dead  man  holds  the  rope  that  will  hang  his  mur 
derer." 

"It  shall  be  left  where  it  is,"  said  Landless,  and 
reclosed  the  fingers  upon  it. 

He  took  a  piece  of  sail-cloth  from  the  floor,  and 
with  it  covered  the  dead  man  from  sight.  Next  he 
turned  to  the  hollow  above  the  fireplace,  and  took 
from  it  the  pistols,  concealing  them  in  his  bosom. 
"  I  may  need  them,"  he  said.  "  Come." 

They  left  the  hut  and  its  dead  guardian,  and  rowed 
back  through  the  summer  dawn.  The  sky  was  barred 
with  crimson  and  gold,  the  fiery  rim  of  the  sun  just 
lifting  above  the  eastern  waters,  the  mist,  a  bridal 
veil  of  silver  and  pearl  drawn  across  the  face  of  a 
virgin  earth. 

They  rowed  in  silence  until  they  neared  the  wharf, 
when  Porringer  said,  "You  are  leader  now." 

The  other  raised  his  haggard  eyes.  "  It  is  a  trust. 
I  will  go  through  with  it,  God  helping  me.  But  I 
would  I  were  lying  dead  beside  him  in  yonder  hut." 

They  left  the  boat  at  the  wharf,  and  went  towards 


A   DARK   DEED  127 

» 

the  quarters.  Meeting  one  of  the  blowzed  and  slat 
ternly  female  servants,  Landless  asked  where  they 
might  find  the  overseer.  He  had  gone  to  the  three- 
mile  field  half  an  hour  ago,  after  bestowing  upon  the 
two  dilatory  servants  a  hearty  cursing,  and  promising 
to  reckon  with  them  at  dinner-time.  "  Where  was 
the  master?  "  He  had  gone  to  the  mouth  of  the  inlet 
with  Sir  Charles  Carew,  who  had  grown  impatient, 
and  had  sailed  away  under  the  Nancy's  patched  sail. 
The  under  overseer  was  in  the  far  corn-field,  two 
miles  off. 

"  Are  all  the  men  in  the  fields,  Barb  ? "  asked 
Landless. 

Barb  informed  him  that  they  were,  "  as  he  might 
very  well  know,  seeing  that  the  sun  was  half  an  hour 
high." 

"  Have  you  seen  the  man  called  Roach  ?  " 

No :  Barb  had  not  seen  him ;  but  she  had  heard 
the  overseer  tell  Luiz  Sebastian  to  take  two  men  and 
go  to  the  strip  of  Orenoko  between  the  inlet  and  the 
third  tobacco  house,  and  Luiz  Sebastian  had  been  call 
ing  for  Roach  and  Trail. 

Landless  thanked  her,  and  moved  away  without 
offering  to  bestow  upon  her  that  which  Barb  probably 
thought  her  information  merited. 

"  Do  you  find  Woodson,"  he  said  to  the  Muggle- 
tonian,  "  and  report  this  murder,  saying  nothing,  how 
ever,  of  what  we  know.  I  myself  will  go  to  the 
tobacco  house." 

"  Had  I  not  best  come  with  thee  to  hold  up  thy 
hands?"  said  Porringer.  "  I  would  take  up  my  text 
from  the  thirty-fifth  of  Numbers,  and  from  Revela 
tion,  twenty-second,  thirteen,  and  deal  mightily  with 
the  murderer." 


128  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  No,"  answered  Landless.  "  Woodson  must  be 
seen  at  once,  or  we  ourselves  will  fall  under  suspicion. 
And,  friend,  ask  that  thou  and  I  may  be  the  ones  to 
bury  him." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

IN  THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE 

THE  third  tobacco  house  was  built  upon  a  point  of 
land  jutting  into  the  larger  inlet,  and  screened  off 
from  the  wide  expanse  of  fields  by  a  belt  of  cedars. 
It  was  a  lonely,  retired  spot,  and  the  high,  dark,  win- 
dowless  structure  with  its  heavy,  low-browed  door  had 
a  menacing  aspect.  Landless  expected  to  find  the 
men  within  the  building,  instead  of  outside  attending 
to  their  work,  and  he  was  not  disappointed.  As  he 
walked  through  the  doorway  into  the  pungent  gloom, 
the  three  started  up  from  the  debris  of  casks,  sticks, 
and  pegs,  amidst  which  they  had  been  squatting,  with 
their  heads  ominously  close  together. 

Landless  strode  up  to  Roach.  "  You  murderer !  " 
he  said. 

The  convict  recoiled ;  then  with  a  bestial  sound,  half 
snarl,  half  bellow  of  rage,  he  gathered  himself  for  a 
rush.  Landless  awaited  him  with  bent  body  and  sin 
ewy,  outstretched  arms  ;  but  the  mulatto  interposed. 
Laying  his  long,  beautifully  shaped,  yellow  hands 
upon  Roach,  he  forced  him  back  against  a  cask,  and, 
pinning  him  there,  whispered  in  his  ear.  The  face  of 
the  wretch  gradually  resumed  its  usual  expression  of 
low  brutality,  though  an  ugly  sweat  broke  out  upon 
it,  and  the  mouth  opened  and  shut  as  though  he  had 
been  running.  He  turned  upon  Landless  with  a  half 
threatening,  half  cringing  air. 


130  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  So  you  Ve  found  out  what  I  was  about  last  night, 
eh,  pardner  ?  But  you  '11  keep  a  still  tongue.  You  're 
not  one  to  peach  on  your  comrade  as  was  in  hell  or 
Newgate  with  you,  and  as  crossed  the  ocean  with  you 
to  this  d — d  Virginia,  and  as  has  always  liked  you, 
and  has  the  same  spite  as  you  have  against  the  man 
what  bought  us.  You  say  naught,  comrade,  and 
you  '11  not  stand  to  lose  by  it." 

"  I  go  from  here  to  give  you  up  to  Colonel  Verney," 
said  Landless. 

The  wretch  gave  a  snarl  of  rage  and  fear.  Luiz 
Sebastian  laid  a  soothing  hand  upon  his  shoulder. 

"  If  I  thought  that,"  snarled  the  convict,  "  you  'd 
never  live  to  reach  that  door." 

"  I  shall  live  to  see  you  hanged,"  said  the  other 
coolly. 

Here  the  mulatto  slipped  something  into  Roach's 
hand.  "  So  you  '11  give  me  up  ?  "  said  the  latter  in  a 
peculiar  voice. 

"  I  have  said  so." 

"  Then,  by  the  Lord  !  I  '11  be  even  with  you  !  " 
Roach  cried  with  savage  triumph.  "  Do  you  see  this, 
and  this,  and  this  ?  "  fluttering  a  mass  of  folded  papers 
before  the  other's  eyes.  "  Ah !  I  was  wise,  I  was, 
when  I  could  n't  hide  everything  about  me,  to  take 
the  papers,  and  leave  the  weapons.  I  've  got  you 
now.  Here  's  the  lists  that  the  old  fool  who  is  dead 
and  gone  to  hell  had  hidden  behind  the  gold !  Here  's 
enough  to  hang  you  and  your  d — d  Cromwellians 
higher  than  Haman.  There  will  be  more  than  one 
giving  up,  I  'm  thinking !  I  've  got  you  under  my 
thumb,  and  I  '11  squeeze  you  !  " 

"  You  cannot  read ;  you  do  not  know  what  those 
papers  contain,"  said  Landless  steadily. 


IN   THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE  131 

"  But  I  can,"  put  in  Trail  smoothly.  "  I  was  but 
just  running  them  over  to  our  friend  whose  education 
has  been  so  sadly  neglected,  when  you  came  in." 

Landless  drew  a  pistol  from  his  bosom,  cocked  it, 
and  leveled  it  at  the  murderer.  "  You  see,"  he  said 
with  an  ominously  quiet  eye  and  voice,  "  you  were  not 
altogether  wise  to  leave  the  weapons.  Now,  give  me 
those  lists." 

"  Damnation  !  "  cried  the  convict,  and  Luiz  Sebas 
tian  glided  towards  the  door. 

Landless,  quick  of  eye  and  active  of  body,  saw  the 
movement,  and  sprang  backwards  to  the  opening  be 
fore  the  other  could  reach  it.  He  covered  the  three 
with  his  pistol. 

"  I  will  shoot  the  first  of  you  that  stirs,"  he  said 
sternly.  "You,  Roach,  lay  those  papers  upon  that 
bit  of  board,  and  push  them  towards  me  with  your 
foot." 

"  I  '11  go  to  hell  first,"  was  the  sullen  reply. 

"  As  you  please.  I  will  give  you  until  I  count 
twenty.  If  those  papers  are  not  in  my  hands,  then  I 
will  shoot  you  like  the  dog  you  are." 

The  murderer  uttered  a  dreadful  curse.  Landless 
began  to  count.  Roach  made  an  irresolute  motion  of 
the  hand  that  held  the  lists.  Landless  counted  on, 
"  fifteen,  sixteen,  seventeen,  eighteen  —  "  With  an 
other  oath  and  a  grin  of  rage  Roach  dropped  the 
papers  upon  the  board  at  his  feet.  "  Now  push  it 
towards  me,"  said  Landless. 

With  a  brow  like  midnight  the  other  did  as  he  was 
bid.  Still  covering  his  men,  Landless  stooped  quickly, 
and  took  up  the  precious  papers,  assured  himself  that 
they  were  all  there,  and  placed  them  in  his  bosom. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  leaning  his  back  against  the  door- 


132  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

post,  and  regarding  the  three  baffled  rogues  with  a 
grim  eye,  "  I  have  a  few  words  to  say  to  you.  I 
speak  first  to  you,  Trail,  and  to  you,  Luiz  Sebastian. 
These  papers  have  told  you  little  that  you  did  not 
know  before.  It  was  not  the  information  that  you 
gained  from  them  that  made  them  so  valuable  ;  it  was 
the  possession  of  them,  the  possession  of  actual  proofs 
of  this  conspiracy  which  you  might  hold  over  our 
heads,  or,  if  the  notion  took  you,  might  sell  to  Colonel 
Verney  ?  " 

"  Senor  Landless  sees  the  thing  as  it  is,"  said  Luiz 
Sebastian. 

"  Well,  you  no  longer  possess  these  proofs,  and  are 
therefore  just  where  you  were  yesterday." 

"  Listen,  Senor  Landless,"  said  Luiz  Sebastian 
gloomily.  "  This  plot  does  not  please  us.  It  is  too 
much  in  the  hands  of  those  who  call  themselves  sol 
diers  and  martyrs,  whom  our  master  calls  fanatic 
Oliverians,  and  whom  I,  Luiz  Sebastian,  call  accursed 
heretics.  The  servants  have  no  say  in  the  matter ; 
they  are  to  follow  like  sheep  where  these  others  lead. 
The  slaves  are  not  even  to  know  of  it  until  the  last 
moment.  A  handful  of  us  who  have  white  blood  in 
our  veins  are  let  into  the  secret,  that  we  may  incite  the 
blacks  when  the  time  is  come ;  but  are  we  consulted  ? 
Are  our  opinions  asked,  our  wishes  deferred  to  ?  I, 
Luiz  Sebastian,  who  have  been  through  three  insur 
rections  in  the  Indies,  and  who  know  how  such  things 
should  be  managed ;  has  my  advice  been  craved  as  to 
this  or  that  ?  You  make  us  promises.  Mother  of 
God  !  how  do  we  know  that  those  promises  will  be 
kept  ?  By  St.  Jago !  the  insurrection  may  arrive,  and 
the  planters  be  put  down,  and  next  year  may  find  us 
slaves  still,  with  but  a  change  of  masters ! " 


IN  THE  TOBACCO  HOUSE  133 

"It  is  too  late  now  for  such  questions,"  said  Land 
less  steadily.  "  You  must  accept  the  conspiracy  as  it 
is.  In  liberating  themselves,  these  men  will  of  neces 
sity  free  you  even  as  they  will  free  me,  who  am  not,  as 
you  know,  of  their  class.  I  shall  take  my  chance,  as 
I  think  you  will  take  yours." 

The  mulatto  played  with  a  tobacco  peg,  striking  it 
against  his  great,  white  teeth.  At  length  he  said 
slowly  and  with  a  sinister  upward  glance  at  the  figure 
by  the  door,  "  Certainly,  Senor  Landless,  it  seems  our 
best,  our  only  chance,  for  freedom." 

And  with  this  Landless  had  perforce  to  be  content, 
lie  turned  to  the  murderer,  saying  sternly,  "  Now  for 
my  word  with  you.  I  hold  your  life  in  my  hands,  for 
I  heard  you  last  night  in  the  marsh,  and  Porringer 
and  I  saw  you  stealing  from  the  creek  this  morning, 
and  I  can  swear  that  you  knew  of  the  gold  hidden  in 
the  hut.  You  have  it  on  you  at  this  moment.  I  could 
hold  you  here  with  this  pistol  until  the  overseer  should 
come  and  search  you.  But  I  let  you  go,  choosing 
rather  your  safety  than  the  endangerment  of  that 
which  was  dearer  than  life  to  the  man  you  murdered. 
The  unsupported  assertion  of  a  murderer  as  to  the  con 
tents  of  papers  which  he  had  not  got  to  show,  might 
not  go  for  much,  but  I  prefer  that  you  should  not 
make  it.  I  have  warned  you  ;  —  you  had  best  make 
your  escape  at  once." 

"  If  you  hold  your  tongue,  there  's  no  reason  why  I 
should  run." 

"  Oh,  yes,  there  is !  There  is  a  reason  in  the  hut 
on  the  marsh." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  clasped  in  the  hand  of  the  man  you 
murdered  is  the  missing  half  of  that  torn  lock  upon 
your  forehead." 


134  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

With  a  yell  Roach  sprang  to  the  door  only  to  be 
confronted  by  the  muzzle  of  Landless'  pistol. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  he  said  composedly.  "  Oh,  you 
need  not  be  afraid !  I  intend  to  let  you  go.  But  you 
don't  leave  this  tobacco  house  until  after  I  have  left 
it  myself." 

"  Curse  you !  "  cried  the  other,  foaming  at  the  lips. 

"  You  are  ungrateful.  I  not  only  promise  not  to 
witness  against  you,  but  I  aid  you  to  escape." 

"  For  reasons  of  your  own,"  suggested  Trail. 

"  Precisely  ;  for  reasons  of  my  own.  If  you  are 
taken,  I  will  hold  my  tongue  just  so  long  as  you  hold 
yours.  If  you  escape  now,  I  will  pray  that  my  day 
of  reckoning  will  yet  come.  And  it  will  be  a  heavy 
reckoning." 

"  Ay,  that  it  will !  "  cried  the  murderer  with  brutal 
fury.  "  You  've  got  the  upper  hand  now ;  but  wait ! 
Every  dog  has  his  day,  and  I  '11  have  mine  !  and  when 
it  comes,  I  '11  do  for  you  !  I  '11  smash  your  beauty ! 
I  '11  draw  more  blood  from  you  than  ever  the  whip  of 
the  overseer  did !  I  '11  use  you  worse  than  I  used 
that  old  man  last  night,  who  writhed  and  struggled, 
and  tried  to  pray  !  I  '11  — 

With  white  lips  and  blazing  eyes  Landless  sprang 
forward,  and  clapped  the  mouth  of  the  pistol  to  the 
ruffian's  temple.  Roach  recoiled,  then  sunk  upon  his 
knees  with  an  abject  whine  for  mercy. 

Landless  let  his  hand  drop,  and  moved  slowly  back 
to  the  door.  "  You  had  need  to  cry  for  mercy,"  he 
said  in  a  low,  distinct  voice,  "  for  you  were  never  so 
near  to  death  before.  I  let  you  go  now,  but  one  day 
I  shall  kill  you.  Until  which  day  —  take  care  of 
yourself !  "  Still  with  his  face  upon  them  he  passed 
out  of  the  door,  then  turned  and  walked  away  witli  a 


IN   THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE  135 

steady  step,  but  with  a  heart  bleeding  for  the  loss  of 
his  friend,  and  heavy  with  forebodings  for  the  future. 

In  the  tobacco  house  the  murderer,  the  forger,  and 
the  mulatto  sat  stricken  into  silence  until  the  last  crisp 
footfall  had  died  away.  Then  amidst  a  torrent  of 
curses  Roach  made  for  the  door.  Trail  plucked  him 
back.  "  Where  are  you  going?  "  he  cried. 

"  I  don't  know !     To  the  devil !  " 

"  The  bloodhounds  will  be  upon  your  trail  before 
noon." 

The  wretch  cried  out  and  struck  his  hand  against 
the  wall  with  a  force  that  laid  the  knuckles  bare  and 
bleeding. 

"  There  is  a  way,"  said  Luiz  Sebastian  slowly,  "  a 
way  that  only  I  know.  You  must  take  to  the  inlet 
here,  and  swim  up  it  until  you  come  to  the  mouth  of 
the  brook  yonder  in  the  forest.  You  must  wade  up 
that  brook  until  you  come  to  a  second,  and  up  that 
until  you  come  to  a  third.  When  you  have  gone  a 
mile  up  that  one,  leave  it,  and  strike  through  the 
woods,  going  towards  the  north.  Another  mile  will 
bring  you  to  a  village  of  the  Chickahominies  upon 
the  Pamunkey.1  They  are  at  odds  with  Governor  and 
Council,  and  they  will  hide  you.  Moreover,  I  once 
did  their  sachem  a  service,  and  they  are  my  friends." 

"  I  'm  off,"  said  Roach,  breaking  from  the  detaining 
grasp. 

"  Wait,"  said  Luiz  Sebastian.  "  There  is  time 
enough.  Woodson  will  not  come  for  a  long  while. 
When  he  does,  he  shall  find  Senor  Trail  and  myself 
busily  at  work  there  outside,  and  we  will  say  that  you 
left  us,  and  went  down  the  inlet  a  long  time  before. 
But  now  we  want  to  talk  to  you." 
1  The  modern  York. 


136  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Be  quick  then,"  growled  the  other,  "  I  've  no  mind 
to  swing  for  this  job." 

Luiz  Sebastian  brought  his  handsomely  malevolent 
face  close  to  the  other's  hideous  countenance. 

"  Would  you  not  like  to  ruin  that  devil  who  but 
now  robbed  you  of  your  hard-earned  property  ?  " 

"  Would  I  not  ?  "  cried  the  murderer  with  a  tre 
mendous  oath.  "  I  'd  give  everything  but  life  and 
gold  to  do  it,  as  that  cunning  devil  well  knew.  I  'd 
give  my  soul !  " 

"  Would  you  like  to  be  shown  how  to  get  more  gold 
than  old  Godwyn's  store,  twenty  times  told  ?  To  get 
your  freedom  ?  To  have  some  black,  sweet  hours  in 
which  to  work  your  will  on  them  at  the  house  yonder  ? 
To  plunge  your  arms  to  the  elbow  in  the  master's 
money  chest ;  to  become  drunken  with  his  wine ;  to 
strike  him  down,  and  that  smiling  imp  his  cousin,  and 
that  other  devil,  Woodson  ;  to  hear  the  women  cry  for 
mercy  —  and  cry  in  vain  ?  You  would  like  all  this?  " 

"  Show  me  the  way !  "  cried  the  brute  with  a  fero 
cious  light  in  his  bloodshot  eyes.  "  Show  me  the  way 
to  do  it  safely,  and  I  '11  —  "  He  broke  off  and  threat 
ened  the  air  with  malignant  fists. 

"  Go  to  the  village  on  the  Pamunkey,"  said  Luiz 
Sebastian  with  his  most  feline  expression.  "  I  will 
come  to  you  there  the  first  night  I  can  slip  away,  I 
and  our  friend,  the  Senor  Trail.  There  we  will  have 
our  little  conference.  Mother  of  God  !  Senor  Land 
less  may  find  that  others  can  plot  as  well  as  he  and 
his  accursed  heretics." 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A   MIDNIGHT   EXPEDITION 

FOUR  nights  later,  the  hour  before  midnight  found 
Landless  walking  steadily  through  the  forest,  bound 
upon  a  mission  which  he  had  had  in  his  mind  since 
the  night  after  the  murder  of  Godwyn.  This  was 
the  first  night  since  that  event  upon  which  he  had 
deemed  it  advisable  to  leave  the  quarters,  having  no 
mind  to  be  captured  as  a  runaway  by  one  of  the  many 
search  parties  which  were  scouring  the  peninsula  be 
tween  the  two  great  rivers  for  the  murderer  of  Kobert 
Godwin.  But  the  search  was  now  trending  north 
ward  towards  Maryland,  to  which  colony  runaways 
usually  turned  their  steps,  and  he  felt  that  he  might 
venture. 

There  was  little  undergrowth  in  the  primeval  forest, 
and  the  rows  of  vast  and  stately  trees  were  as  easy  to 
thread  as  the  pillared  aisles  of  a  cathedral.  When  he 
came  to  one  of  the  innumerable  streamlets  that  caught 
the  land  in  a  net  of  silver,  he  removed  his  coarse 
shoes  and  stockings,  and  waded  it.  The  great  branches 
overhead  shut  in  a  night  that  was  breathlessly  hot 
and  still.  He  could  see  the  stars  only  when  he  crossed 
the  streams  or  emerged  into  one  of  the  many  little 
open  glades.  He  walked  warily,  making  no  sound, 
and  now  and  then  stopping  to  listen  for  the  distant 
halloo,  or  bark  of  a  dog,  which  might  denote  that  he 
was  followed,  or  that  there  was  a  search  party  abroad, 


138  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

but  he  heard  nothing  save  the  usual  forest  sounds,  — 
the  dropping  of  acorns,  the  sighing  leaves,  the  cry  of 
some  night  bird,  —  sounds  that  seemed  to  make  the 
night  more  still  than  silence. 

He  was  nearing  his  destination  when  from  out  a 
shadowy  clump  of  alders,  standing  upon  the  bank  of 
the  stream  which  he  had  just  crossed,  there  shot  a 
long  arm,  and  the  next  moment  he  was  wrestling  with 
a  dark  and  powerful  figure  whose  naked  body  slipped 
from  his  hold  as  though  it  had  been  greased.  But 
Landless,  too,  was  strong  and  determined,  and  the  two 
swayed  and  strained  backwards  and  forwards  through 
the  darkness,  wary  and  resolute,  neither  giving  his 
antagonist  advantage.  The  hand  of  the  unknown 
writhed  itself  from  the  other's  clasp  and  stole  down 
wards  towards  his  waist.  Landless  felt  the  motion 
and  intercepted  it.  Then  the  figure,  with  an  angry 
guttural  sound,  began  to  put  forth  its  full  strength. 
The  arms  encircled  Landless  with  a  slowly  tightening 
iron  band  ;  the  great  dark  shoulder  came  forward 
with  the  force  of  a  battering-ram  ;  the  limbs  twined 
like  boa-constrictors  around  the  limbs  of  the  other. 
Locked  together,  the  two  reeled  into  a  little  fairy 
glade,  where  the  short  grass,  pearled  with  dew,  lay 
open  to  the  moon.  Here,  borne  backwards  by  the 
overwhelming  force  of  his  assailant,  Landless  fell 
heavily  to  the  ground.  The  figure  falling  with  him, 
pinned  him  to  the  earth  with  its  knee  upon  his  breast. 
In  the  moonlight  he  saw  the  gleam  of  the  lifted  knife. 

He  had  had  but  time  for  a  half-uttered,  half- 
thought  prayer  when  the  pressure  upon  his  breast 
relaxed ;  the  knife  fell,  indeed,  but  harmlessly  upon 
the  grass,  and  the  figure  rose  to  its  height  with  an 
astonished  "  Ugh !  " 


A  MIDNIGHT  EXPEDITION  139 

Landless,  rising  also,  began  to  think  that  he  recog 
nized  the  gigantic  form  towering  through  the  pale 
moonlight. 

"  Ugh !  "  said  the  figure  again.  "  The  great  Spirit 
threw  us  into  the  light  in  time.  Monakatocka  had 
been  forever  shamed  had  his  knife  drunk  the  life  of 
his  friend." 

"  Why  did  you  set  upon  me  ?  "  demanded  Land 
less,  still  breathless  from  the  struggle,  while  the  In 
dian  was  as  calmly  composed  as  upon  the  day  of  their 
first  meeting. 

"  Monakatocka  took  you  for  the  man  for  whom  they 
hunt  with  dogs  through  the  forest,  scaring  the  deer 
from  the  licks  and  the  partridge  from  the  fern.  Two 
nights  ago  Major  Carrington  said  to  Monakatocka, 
'  Find  me  that  man  and  kill  him,  and  to  the  twenty 
arms'  length  of  roanoke  which  the  county  will  pay  to 
Monakatocka,  I  will  add  a  gun  with  store  of  powder, 
and  with  a  bullet  for  every  stag  between  Werowo- 
comico  and  Machot.'  When  he  heard  you  a  long  way 
off,  moving  over  the  leaves,  trying  to  make  no  sound, 
Monakatocka  thought  he  held  the  gun  of  the  pale 
face  Major  in  his  hand.  But  now  —  "  he  waved  his 
hand  with  a  gesture  eloquent  of  resignation. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  disappoint  you,"  said  Landless, 
amused  at  his  air  of  calm  regret. 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  proved  the  strength  of  my 
brother,"  was  the  sententious  reply.  "  Where  goes 
my  brother  through  the  woods,  which  are  full  of  dan 
ger  to  him  to-night  ?  Or  has  he  a  pass  ?  " 

"  I  have  business  at  Rosemead,"  answered  Land 
less.  "  I  am  close  to  the  house,  I  think  ?  " 

The  Indian  pointed  through  the  trees.  "  It  lies 
twelve  bowshots  before  you.  The  overseer  with  the 


140  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

dogs  has  gone  to  the  great  swamp  to  look  for  the  man 
with  the  red  hair." 

"  Thanks  for  the  information,  friend,"  said  Land 
less.  "  I  ask  you,  moreover,  to  say  nothing  of  this 
encounter.  I  have  no  pass." 

"  I  have  but  one  friend,"  answered  the  Indian. 
"  His  secret  is  my  secret." 

"  Are  you,  too,  then,  so  lonely  ?  "  asked  Landless, 
touched  by  his  tone. 

"  Listen,"  said  the  Indian,  leaning  his  back  against 
a  great  oak.  "  I  will  tell  my  brother  who  I  am.  .  .  . 
Many  years  ago  the  Conestogas,  they  whom  the  pale 
faces  call  the  Susquehannocks,  came  down  the  great 
bay  and  fought  with  the  palefaces.  Monakatocka  was 
then  but  a  lad  on  his  first  war-path.  Agreskoi  was 
angry  :  he  hid  his  face  behind  a  cloud.  With  their 
guns  the  palefaces  beat  the  Conestogas  like  fleeing 
women  back  to  their  village  on  the  banks  of  a  great 
river,  and  themselves  returned  in  triumph  to  their 
board  wigwams,  bearing  with  them  many  captives. 
Monakatocka,  son  to  a  great  chief,  was  one.  The 
palefaces  made  him  to  work  like  a  squaw  in  their 
fields  of  tobacco  and  maize.  When  he  ran  away  they 
put  forth  a  long  arm  and  plucked  him  back  and  beat 
him.  Agreskoi  was  angry,  for  Monakatocka  had  not 
any  offering  to  make  him.  One  by  one  his  fellow 
captives  have  dropped  away  like  the  leaves  that  fall 
in  the  moon  of  Taquetock,  until,  behold !  he  is  left 
alone.  The  palefaces  are  his  enemies.  He  thinks  of 
the  village  beside  the  pleasant  stream,  and  he  hates 
them.  A  warrior  of  the  long  house  takes  no  friend 
from  the  wigwam  of  an  Algonquin.  Monakatocka  is 
alone." 

He  spoke  with  a  wild  pathos,  his  high,  stern  f ea- 


A  MIDNIGHT   EXPEDITION  141 

tares  working  in  the  moonlight,  and  his  bold  glance 
softened  into  an  exquisite  melancholy. 

"  I  too  am  friendless,"  said  Landless,  "  and  bound 
to  a  far  more  degrading  captivity  than  that  you  suffer. 
Our  fate  is  the  same." 

The  Indian  took  his  hand  in  his,  and  raising  it, 
pressed  the  forefinger  against  a  certain  spot  upon  his 
shoulder.  "  You  have  a  friend,"  he  said. 

"  You  make  too  much  of  a  very  slight  service," 
said  Landless.  "  But  I  embrace  your  offer  of  friend 
ship  —  there  's  my  hand  upon  it.  And  now  I  must 
be  going  upon  my  way.  Good-night !  " 

The  Indian  gave  a  guttural  "  Good-night,"  and 
Landless  strode  on  through  the  thinning  woods. 
Shortly  he  emerged  from  the  forest  and  saw  before 
him  tobacco  fields  and  a  house,  and  beyond  the  house 
the  vast  sheet  of  the  Chesapeake  slumbering  beneath 
the  moon.  There  was  a  beaten  path  leading  to  the 
house.  Landless  struck  into  it  and  followed  it  until 
it  led  him  beneath  a  window  which  (having  been  once 
sent  with  a  message  to  the  Surveyor-General),  he 
knew  to  belong  to  the  sleeping-chamber  of  Major 
Carrington.  Stopping  beneath  this  window  he  list 
ened  for  any  sound  that  might  warn  him  of  aught 
stirring  within  or  without  the  mansion,  —  all  was 
silent,  the  house  and  its  inmates  locked  in  slumber. 

He  took  a  handful  of  pebbles  from  the  path  and 
threw  them,  one  by  one,  against  the  wooden  shutter, 
the  thud  of  the  last  pebble  being  answered  by  a  slight 
noise  from  within  the  room.  Presently  the  shutter 
was  opened  and  an  authoritative  voice  demanded :  — 

"  Who  is  it  ?     What  do  you  want  ?  " 

Landless  came  closer  beneath  the  window.  "  Ma 
jor  Carrington,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  It  is  I, 
Godfrey  Landless.  I  must  have  speech  with  you." 


142  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  and  then  the  other 
said  coldly,  "  '  Must '  is  a  word  that  becomes  neither 
your  lips  nor  my  ears.  I  know  no  reason  why  Miles 
Carrington  must  speak  with  the  servant  of  Colonel 
Verney." 

"  As  you  please  :  Godfrey  Landless  craves  the 
honor  of  a  word  with  Major  Carrington." 

"And  what  if  Major  Carrington  refuses?"  said 
the  other  sharply. 

"  I  do  not  think  he  will  do  so." 

The  Surveyor-General  hesitated  a  moment,  then 
said  :  — 

"Go  to  the  great  door.  I  will  open  to  you  in  a 
moment.  But  make  no  noise." 

Landless  nodded,  and  proceeded  to  follow  his  direc 
tions.  Presently  the  door  swung  noiselessly  inward, 
and  Carrington,  appearing  in  the  opening,  beckoned 
Landless  within,  and  led  the  way,  still  in  profound 
silence,  across  the  hall  to  the  great  room.  Here,  after 
softly  closing  the  door,  he  lighted  candles,  saw  to  it 
that  the  heavy  wooden  shutters  were  securely  drawn 
across  the  windows,  and  turned  to  face  his  visitor  in 
a  somewhat  different  guise  than  the  riding  suit  and 
jack  boots,  the  mask  and  broad  flapping  beaver,  in 
which  he  had  appeared  in  their  encounter  in  the  hut 
on  the  marsh.  His  stately  figure  was  now  wrapped  in 
a  night-gown  of  dark  velvet,  his  bare  feet  were  thrust 
into  velvet  slippers,  and  a  silken  nightcap,  half  on 
and  half  off,  imparted  a  rakish  air  to  his  gravely 
handsome  countenance.  He  threw  himself  into  a 
great  armchair  and  tapped  impatiently  upon  the  table. 

"  Well !  "  he  said  dryly. 

Landless  standing  before  him  began  to  speak  with 
dignity  and  to  the  point.  Godwyn,  the  head  of  a 


A  MIDNIGHT  EXPEDITION  143 

great  conspiracy,  was  dead,  leaving  him,  Landless,  in 
some  sort  his  successor.  In  a  conference  of  the  lead 
ing  conspirators  held  but  a  few  nights  before  the  mur 
der,  Godwyn  had  announced  that  not  only  had  he  given 
to  the  son  of  Warham  Landless  his  complete  confi 
dence,  but  that  in  case  aught  should  happen  to  himself 
before  the  time  for  action,  he  would  wish  the  young 
man  to  succeed  him  in  the  leadership  of  the  revolt. 
There  had  been  some  demur,  but  Godwyn's  influence 
was  boundless,  and  on  his  advancing  reason  after  rea 
son  for  his  preference,  the  Oliverians  had  acquiesced 
in  his  judgment  and  had  given  their  solemn  promise 
to  respect  his  wishes.  Three  nights  later,  Godwyn 
was  murdered.  Since  that  dreadful  blow,  Landless 
had  seen  only  such  of  the  conspirators  as  were  in  his 
immediate  neighborhood.  Confounded  at  the  turn 
affairs  had  taken,  and  utterly  at  a  loss,  they  had 
turned  eagerly  to  him  as  to  one  having  authority. 
For  his  own  freedom,  for  the  sake  of  his  promise  to 
the  dead  man,  he  would  do  his  utmost.  He  had  come 
to-night  to  discover,  if  possible,  Major  Carrington's 
intentions  — 

Carrington,  who  had  listened  thus  far  with  grave 
attention,  frowned  heavily. 

"  If  my  memory  serves  me,  sirrah,  I  told  you  once 
before  that  Miles  Carrington  stirs  not  hand  or  foot  in 
this  matter.  I  may  wish  you  well,  but  that  is  all." 

"  'T  is  a  poor  friend  that  cries  '  Godspeed  !  '  to  one 
who  struggles  in  a  bog,  and  gives  not  his  hand  to  help 
him  out." 

"  Your  figure  does  not  hold,"  said  the  other,  dryly. 
"  I  have  not  cried  '  Godspeed ! '  I  have  said  nothing 
at  all,  either  good  or  bad.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with 
this  conspiracy.  You  are  the  only  man  now  living 


144  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

that  knows  that  I  am  aware  that  such  a  thing  exists. 
And  I  hope,  sir,  that  you  will  remember  how  you 
gained  that  knowledge." 

"  I  am  in  no  danger  of  forgetting." 

"  Very  well.  Your  journey  here  to-night  was  a 
useless  as  well  as  a  dangerous  one.  I  have  nothing 
to  say  to  you." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  one  thing  ?  "  said  Landless,  pa 
tiently.  "  What  will  Major  Carrington  have  to  say  to 
me  upon  the  day  when  I  speak  to  him  as  a  free  man 
with  free  men  behind  me  ?  " 

"  Upon  that  day,"  said  the  other,  composedly, 
"  Miles  Carrington  will  submit  to  the  inevitable  with 
a  good  grace,  having  been,  as  is  well  known,  a  friend 
to  the  Commonwealth,  and  having  always,  even  when 
there  was  danger  in  so  doing,  spoken  against  the 
cruel  and  iniquitous  enslavement  of  men  whose  only 
offense  was  non-conformity,  or  the  having  served 
Hiider  the  banners  of  Cromwell." 

"  If  he  should  be  offered  Cromwell's  position  in  the 
new  Commonwealth,  what  then  ?  " 

"  Pshaw  !  no  such  offer  will  be  made." 

"  We  must  have  weight  and  respectability,  must 
identify  ourselves  with  that  Virginia  in  which  we  are 
strangers,  if  we  are  to  endure,"  said  Landless,  with  a 
smile.  "  A  fact  that  we  perfectly  recognize  —  as  does 
Major  Carrington.  He  probably  knows  who  is  of, 
and  yet  head  and  shoulders  above,  that  party  in  the 
state  upon  whose  support  we  must  ultimately  rely, 
who  alone  could  lead  that  party ;  who  alone  might 
reconcile  Royalist  and  Puritan  ;  —  and  to  whom  alone 
the  offer  I  speak  of  will  be  made." 

Carrington  smiled  despite  himself.  "  Well,  then, 
if  the  offer  is  made,  I  will  accept  it.  In  short,  when 


A  MIDNIGHT   EXPEDITION  145 

your  man  is  out  of  the  bog  I  will  lend  my  aid  to 
cleanse  him  of  the  stains  incurred  in  the  transit.  But 
he  must  pull  himself  out  of  the  mire.  I  am  safe  upon 
the  bank,  I  will  not  be  drawn  with  him  into  a  bottom 
less  ruin.  Do  I  make  myself  plain?" 

"  Perfectly,"  said  Landless,  dryly. 

The  other  flushed  beneath  the  tone.  "  You  think 
perhaps  that  I  play  but  a  craven  part  in  this  game. 
I  do  not.  God  knows  I  run  a  tremendous  risk  as  it 
is,  without  madly  pledging  life  and  honor  to  this  des 
perate  enterprise  !  " 

"  I  fail  to  see  the  risk,"  said  Landless,  coldly. 

The  other  struck  his  hand  against  the  table.  "  I 
risk  a  slave  insurrection  !  "  he  said. 

A  noise  outside  the  door  made  them  start  like 
guilty  things.  The  door  opened  softly  and  a  charming 
vision  appeared,  to  wit,  Mistress  Betty  Carrington, 
rosy  from  sleep  and  hastily  clad  in  a  dressing-gown  of 
sombre  silk.  Her  little  white  feet  were  bare,  and  her 
dark  hair  had  escaped  from  its  prim,  white  night  coif. 
She  started  when  she  saw  a  visitor,  and  her  feet  drew 
demurely  back  under  the  hem  of  her  gown,  while  her 
hands  went  up  to  her  disheveled  hair  ;  but  a  second 
glance  showing  her  his  quality,  she  recovered  her  com 
posure  and  spoke  to  her  father  in  her  soft,  serious 
voice. 

"  I  heard  a  noise,  my  father,  and  looking  into  your 
room,  found  it  empty,  so  I  came  down  to  see  what 
made  you  wakeful  to-night." 

"'Tis  but  a  message  from  Verney  Manor,  child," 
said  her  father.  "  Get  back  to  bed." 

"  From  Verney  Manor  !  "  exclaimed  Betty.  "  Then 
I  can  send  back  to-night  the  song  book  and  book  of 
plays  lent  me  by  Sir  Charles  Carew,  and  which,  after 


146  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

reading  the  first  page,  I  e'en  restored  to  their  wrap 
pings  and  laid  aside  with  a  good  book  a-top  to  put 
me  in  better  thoughts  if  ever  I  was  tempted  to  touch 
them  again.  I  will  get  them,  good  fellow,  and  you 
shall  carry  them  back  to  their  owner  with  my  thanks, 
if  it  so  be  that  I  can  find  words  that  are  both  cour 
teous  and  truthful." 

"  Stop,  child !  "  said  her  father  as  she  turned  to 
leave  the  room.  "  The  volumes,  which  you  were  very 
right  not  to  read,  may  rest  awhile  beneath  the  good 
book.  This  is  a  secret  mission  upon  which  this  young 
man  has  come.  It  is  about  a  —  a  matter  of  state 
upon  which  his  master  and  I  have  been  engaged.  No 
one  here  or  at  Verney  Manor  must  know  that  he  has 
been  at  Rosemead." 

"Very  well,  my  father,"  said  Betty,  meekly,  "the 
books  can  wait  some  other  opportunity." 

"  And,"  with  some  sternness,  "  you  will  be  careful 
to  hold  your  tongue  as  to  this  man's  presence  here 
to-night." 

"  Very  well,  father." 

"  You  are  not  to  speak  of  it  to  Mistress  Patricia 
or  to  any  one." 

"  I  will  be  silent,  my  father." 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  Major.  "  You  are  not  like 
the  majority  of  women.  I  know  that  your  word  is  as 
good  as  an  oath.  Now  run  away  to  bed,  sweetheart, 
and  forget  that  you  have  seen  this  messenger." 

"  I  am  going  now,  father,"  said  Betty,  obediently. 
"Is  Mistress  Patricia  well,  good  fellow?  " 

"  Quite  well,  I  believe,  madam." 

"  She  spake  of  crossing  to  Accomac  with  Mistress 
Lettice  and  Sir  Charles  Carew,  when  the  latter  should 
go  to  visit  Colonel  Scarborough.  Know  you  if  she 
went?" 


A  MIDNIGHT  EXPEDITION  147 

"I  think  not,  madam.  I  think  that  Sir  Charles 
Carew  went  alone." 

"  Ah  !  They  have  fallen  out  then,"  said  Betty,  half 
to  herself,  and  with  a  demure  satisfaction  in  her  wild 
flower  face.  "  I  am  glad  of  it,  for  I  like  him  not. 
Thanks,  good  fellow,  for  your  answering  my  idle  ques 
tions." 

Landless  bowed  gravely.  Betty  bent  her  pretty 
head,  and  with  a  hasty,  "  I  am  going,  father  !  "  in 
answer  to  an  impatient  movement  on  the  part  of  the 
Major,  vanished  from  the  room. 

Carrington  waited  until  the  last  light  footfall  had 
died  away,  and  then  said,  "  Our  interview  is  over. 
Are  you  satisfied  ?  " 

"  At  least,  I  understand  your  position." 

"  Yes,"  said  Carrington,  thoughtfully,  "  it  is  as  well 
that  you  should  understand  it.  It  is  simple.  I  wish 
you  well.  I  am  in  heart  a  Commonwealth's  man.  I 
love  not  the  Stuarts.  I  would  fain  see  this  fair  land 
freed  from  their  rule  and  returned  to  the  good  days  of 
the  Commonwealth.  And  I  may  as  well  acknowledge, 
since  you  have  found  it  out  for  yourself,"  -—a  haughty 
smile,  —  "  that  I  have  my  ambitions.  What  man  has 
not  ?  "  He  rose  and  began  to  pace  the  room,  his 
hands  clasped  behind  him,  his  handsome  head  bent, 
his  rich  robe  trailing  upon  the  ground  behind  him. 

"  I  could  rule  this  land  more  acceptably  to  the 
people  than  can  William  Berkeley  with  his  parrot 
phrases,  '  divine  right,'  and  '  passive  obedience.'  I 
know  the  people  and  am  popular  with  them,  with 
Royalist  and  Churchman  as  well  as  with  Nonconform 
ist  and  Oliverian.  I  know  the  needs  of  the  colony  — 
home  rule,  self  taxation,  free  trade,  a  more  liberal 
encouragement  to  emigrants,  religious  tolerance,  a  rod 


148  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

of  iron  for  the  Indians,  the  establishment  of  a  direct 
slave  trade  with  Africa  and  the  Indies.  I  could  so 
rule  this  colony  that  in  a  twelvemonth's  time,  Richard 
Verney  or  Stephen  Ludlow,  hot  Royalists  though 
they  be,  would  be  forced  to  acknowledge  that  never, 
since  the  day  Smith  sailed  up  the  James,  had  Virginia 
enjoyed  a  tithe  of  her  present  prosperity." 

"  '  'T  is  a  consummation  devoutly  to  be  desired,' "  said 
Landless,  dryly.  "  In  the  mean  time,  like  the  cat  i' 
the  adage  — ' 

"  You  are  insolent,  sirrah  !  " 

"When  a  stripling  I  served  under  one  who  took 
the  bitter  with  the  sweet,  the  danger  as  well  as  the 
reward,  who  led  the  soldiers  from  whom  he  took  his 
throne." 

"  Cromwell,  sirrah,"  said  Carrington  sternly,  "  led 
soldiers.  You  would  require  Miles  Carrington  to  lead 
servants,  to  place  himself,  a  gentleman  and  a  master, 
at  the  head  of  a  rebellion  which,  if  it  failed,  would 
plunge  him  into  a  depth  of  ignominy  and  ruin  pro 
portionate  to  the  height  from  which  he  fell.  lie  de 
clines  the  position.  When  you  have  won  your  freedom 
he  will  treat  with  you.  Not  before." 

"  Then,"  said  Landless  slowly,  "  upon  the  day  on 
which  the  flag  of  the  Commonwealth  floats  over  the 
Assembly  hall  at  Jamestown,  then  —  " 

"  Then  I  will  join  myself  to  you  as  I  have  said,  and 
I  will  bring  with  me  those  without  whom  your  revo 
lution  would  be  but  short-lived  —  the  Puritan  and 
Nonconformist  element  in  the  colony,  gentle  and 
simple." 

"  That  is  sufficiently  explicit,"  said  Landless,  "  and 
I  thank  you." 

"I  have  trusted  you  fully,  young  man,"  said  the 


A  MIDNIGHT  EXPEDITION  149 

other,  stopping  before  him,  "  not  only  because  you 
cannot  betray  me  if  you  would,  seeing  that  not  one 
scrap  of  writing  exists  to  inculpate  me  in  this  matter, 
and  that  your  word  would  scarce  be  taken  before 
mine,  but  because  I  believe  you  to  be  trustworthy.  I 
believe  also"  —  graciously — "that  Robert  Godwyn 
(whose  death  I  sincerely  mourn)  showed  his  usual  wis 
dom  and  knowledge  of  mankind  when  he  chose  you  as 
his  confidant  and  co-worker.  I  wish  you  well  through 
with  a  dangerous  and  delicate  piece  of  work  and  in 
enjoyment  of  your  reward,  namely,  your  freedom,  and 
the  esteem  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia.  I  will 
myself  see  to  it  that  any  past  offenses  which  you  are 
supposed  to  have  committed  (for  myself,  I  believe  you 
to  have  been  harshly  used),  shall  not  stand  in  your 
light." 

"  Major  Carrington  is  very  good,"  said  Landless, 
calmly.  "  I  shall  study  to  deserve  his  commendation." 

The  other  took  a  restless  turn  or  two  through  the 
room,  stopping  at  length  before  the  younger  man. 

"  You  may  tell  me  one  thing,"  he  said  in  a  voice 
scarcely  above  a  whisper,  and  with  his  eyes  bent 
watchfully  upon  the  other's  composed  face.  "  Had 
Godwyn  set  the  day  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  And  you  will  adhere  to  it  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  What  day  ?  " 

"  The  thirteenth  of  September." 

"  Humph !  Two  weeks  off !  Well,  my  tobacco  will 
be  largely  in,  and  I  shall  send  my  daughter  upon  a 
visit  to  her  Huguenot  kindred  upon  the  Potomac. 
Good  night." 

"  Good  night,"  answered  Landless. 


CHAFfER  XV 

THE   WATERS    OF   CHESAPEAKE 

PATRICIA  was  ennuyee  to  the  last  degree.  That 
morning  Sir  Charles  had  ridden  to  Green  Spring  with 
her  father  ;  Mistress  Lettice  was  in  the  still  room  de 
cocting  a  face  wash  from  rose  leaves,  dew  and  honey ; 
young  Shaw  on  his  knees  in  the  master's  room,  dis 
consolately  poring  over  piles  of  musty  papers  in  search 
of  a  misplaced  deed  which  the  colonel  had  ordered 
him  to  find  against  his  return.  It  was  a  hot  and  list 
less  afternoon.  Patricia  read  a  page  of  "  The  Eival 
Ladies,"  tried  her  spinet,  had  a  languid  romp  with 
her  spaniels,  and  finally  sauntered  into  the  porch,  and 
leaning  her  white  arms  upon  the  railing,  looked  to 
wards  the  dazzling  blue  waters  of  the  Chesapeake. 
Presently  an  idea  came  to  her.  She  went  swiftly  into 
the  hall,  and  called  for  Darkeih.  When  that  hand 
maiden  appeared  :  — 

"Darkeih,  go  down  to  the  quarters,  and  tell  the 
first  man  you  meet  to  find  Woodson,  and  send  him  to 
me." 

Darkeih  departed,  and  in  half  an  hour's  time  the 
overseer  appeared  at  the  foot  of  the  porch  steps,  red 
and  heated  from  his  rapid  walk  from  the  Three-Mile 
field. 

"  What 's  wrong,  Mistress  Patricia  ?  "  he  asked 
quickly. 

Patricia    opened    her    lovely    eyes.      "  Nothing    is 


THE   WATERS  OF   CHESAPEAKE  151 

wrong,  Woodson.  What  should  be  ?  I  sent  for  you, 
because  I  want  to  go  to  Rosemead." 

"  To  Rosemead  !  "  exclaimed  the  overseer. 

"  Yes,  to  Rosemead,  and  I  want  a  couple  of  men  to 
take  me." 

The  overseer  gave  a  short,  vexed  laugh.  "  I  can't 
spare  the  men,  Mistress  Patricia.  You  ought  to  have 
known  that  every  man  jack  on  the  plantation  is  busy 
cutting.  If  I  had  a  known  this  was  all  that  was 
wanted !  Fegs  !  I  thought  something  dreadful  was 
the  matter." 

"  Something  dreadful  is  the  matter,"  said  the  young 
lady  calmly.  "  I  am  bored  to  death." 

"  Sorry  for  ye,  missy,  but  I  can't  spare  the  men." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  can  !  "  said  Patricia  with  unruffled 
composure. 

The  overseer,  knowing  his  lady,  began  to  weaken. 

"  Anyhow,  you  would  n't  want  two  men.  You  might 
go  on  a  pillion  behind  old  Abraham.  I  could  spare 
him." 

"  I  shall  not  go  a-horseback.  'T  is  too  hot  and 
dusty.  I  shall  go  in  one  of  the  sail-boats  —  the  Blue 
bird,  I  think." 

"  Now,  in  the  name  of  all  that 's  contrary,  what  do 
you  want  to  do  that  for,  Mistress  Patricia  ?  "  cried 
the  harassed  overseer.  "  It 's  twice  as  far  by  water." 

"  I  '11  reach  Rosemead  before  dark.  The  men  can 
bring  the  boat  back  to-night,  and  Major  Carrington 
will  send  me  home  on  a  pillion  to-morrow." 

"  Have  you  forgotten  that  to-morrow  is  Sunday  ?  " 
said  the  overseer  severely,  and  with  a  new-born 
anxiety  for  the  proper  observance  of  the  holy  day. 
"  Will  you  have  the  Colonel  pay  a  fine  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  will  go  to  service  with  the  Carringtons  then,  and 
come  home  on  Monday,"  said  the  lady  serenely. 


152  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  There  's  a  squall  coining  up  this  afternoon." 

"  There  is  n't  a  cloud  in  the  sky,"  said  his  mistress 
with  calm  conviction,  looking  straight  before  her  at  a 
low,  tumbled  line  of  creamy  peaks  along  the  horizon. 

"  If  the  Colonel  were  here  — 

"  He  would  say,  '  Woodson,  do  exactly  as  Mistress 
Patricia  tells  you.'  "  This  with  great  sweetness. 

The  overseer  gave  it  up.  "  I  reckon  he  would, 
missy,"  he  said  with  a  grin.  "  You  wind  him  and  all 
of  us  around  your  finger." 

"  'T  is  all  for  your  good,  Woodson,"  with  a  soft, 
bright  laugh.  Then,  coaxingly,  "  Am  I  to  have  the 
Bluebird?" 

"  I  reckon  so,  Mistress  Patricia,  seeing  that  you 
have  set  your  heart  upon  it,"  said  the  still  reluctant 
overseer. 

"  That 's  a  good  Woodson.  I  want  Regulus  to  be 
one  of  the  boatmen.  You  can  send  any  other  you 
choose.  I  shall  take  Darkeih  with  me." 

"You  can't  have  Regulus,  Mistress  Patricia,"  an 
swered  the  overseer  positively.  "  He  's  worth  any  two 
men  in  the  field.  I  can't  let  him  go." 

"  Let  him  be  at  the  wharf  in  half  an  hour.  I  will 
be  ready  by  then." 

"  You  can't  have  him,  Missy." 

Patricia  stamped  her  pretty  foot.  "  Am  I  mistress 
of  this  plantation,  or  am  I  not,  Woodson  ?  " 

"  Lord  knows  you  are  !  "  groaned  the  overseer. 

"Then  when  I  say  I  want  Regulus,  I  will  have 
Regulus  and  no  other." 

The  overseer  sighed  resignedly.  "  Very  well,  Mis 
tress  Patricia,  I  '11  send  for  him." 

Patricia  danced  away,  and  the  overseer  strode  down 
the  path,  viciously  crunching  the  pebbles  and  bits  of 


THE   WATERS   OF  CHESAPEAKE  153 

shell  beneath  his  feet.  At  the  wharf  he  found  a  de 
tachment  of  the  infant  population  of  the  quarters  bus 
ily  crabbing ;  all  of  whom,  save  two  little  Indians  who 
fished  stoically  on,  scrambled  to  their  feet,  and  pulled 
a  forelock.  The  overseer  touched  one  urchin  upon 
the  shoulder  with  the  butt  end  of  his  whip. 

"You,  Piccaninny,  run  as  fast  as  your  legs  will 
carry  you  to  the  field  by  the  swamp,  and  tell  Regulus 
to  leave  his  work,  and  come  to  the  big  wharf.  Mis 
tress  Patricia  wants  to  go  a  pleasuring." 

Piccaninny's  black  shanks  and  pink  heels  flew  up 
and  out,  and  he  was  away  like  a  flash.  The  overseer 
kept  on  to  the  end  of  the  wharf,  where  were  clustered 
the  boats,  some  tied  to  the  piles,  some  anchored  a  lit 
tle  way  out.  "  Haines  was  to  send  a  man  to  caulk  a 
seam  in  the  Nancy,"  he  muttered.  "  Whoever  he  is, 
he  '11  have  to  go  in  the  Bluebird.  I  'm  not  going  to 
take  another  man  from  the  tobacco.  What  fools 
women  are  !  But  they  get  their  way,  —  the  pretty 
ones  at  least."  He  leaned  over  the  railing,  and 
called,  — 

"  You  there,  in  the  Nancy  !  " 

Godfrey  Landless  looked  up  from  his  work.  "  What 
is  it?" 

The  overseer  chuckled  grimly.  "  It 's  that  fellow 
Landless  who  angered  her  once  before,  "  he  said  to 
himself  with  a  malicious  grin.  "  Well,  't  is  n't  my 
business  to  know  which  of  all  the  servants  on  this 
plantation  she  most  dislikes  to  come  near  her.  She  '11 
have  to  put  up  with  him  to-day.  There  is  n't  a  better 
boatman  on  the  place  anyhow." 

To  Landless  he  said,  "  Bring  the  Bluebird  up  to 
the  wharf,  and  see  that  she  is  sweet  and  clean  inside. 
Mistress  Patricia  starts  for  Rosemead  in  half  an  hour, 


154  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

and  you  and  Regulus  are  to  take  her.  You  '11  bring 
the  boat  back  to-night.  Step  lively  now  !  " 

Landless  brought  the  Bluebird,  a  sixteen-foot  open 
boat,  up  to  the  wharf,  made  the  inside,  and  especially 
the  seat  in  the  stern,  spotlessly  clean,  put  up  the  sail, 
and  sat  down  to  wait.  Presently  Regulus  appeared 
above  him,  and  swung  himself  down  into  the  boat 
with  a  grin  of  delight,  for  he  much  preferred  sail 
ing  with  "  'lil  missy  "  to  cutting  tobacco.  He  had 
a  great  burly  form  and  a  broad,  ebony  face,  and  he 
was  the  devoted  slave  of  Patricia,  and  of  Patricia's 
maid,  Darkeih.  Moreover,  he  enjoyed  the  distinction 
of  being  the  first  negro  born  in  the  Colony,  his  parents 
having  been  landed  from  the  Dutch  privateer  which 
in  1619  introduced  the  slave  into  Virginia.  Viewed 
through  a  vista  of  nigh  three  hundred  years,  he  ap 
pears  a  portent,  a  tremendous  omen,  a  sign  from  the 
Eumenides.  Upon  that  tranquil  summer  afternoon 
in  the  Virginia  of  long  ago  he  was  simply  a  good- 
humored,  docile,  happy-go-lucky,  harmless  animal. 

"  'Lil  Missy  's  comin',''  he  remarked,  with  bon- 
hommie,  to  his  fellow  boatman. 

Darkeih,  laden  with  cushions,  appeared  at  the  edge 
of  the  wharf.  Landless,  standing  in  the  bow  below 
her,  relieved  her  of  her  burdens,  and  taking  her  by 
the  hands,  swung  her  down  into  the  boat.  She 
thanked  him  with  a  smile  that  showed  every  tooth  in 
her  comely  brown  countenance,  and  tripped  aft,  where, 
with  the  assistance  of  Regulus,  she  proceeded  to  ar 
range  a  cushioned  seat  for  her  mistress. 

Landless  waited  for  the  lady  of  the  manor  to  come 
forward.  In  the  act  of  extending  her  hands  to  the 
boatman,  she  glanced  at  him,  crimsoned,  and  drew 
back.  Landless,  interpreting  color  and  action  aright, 


TPIE   WATERS  OF   CHESAPEAKE  155 

buckled  his  armor  of  studied  quiet  more  closely  over 
a  hurt  and  angry  heart. 

"  I  was  ordered  to  attend  you,  madam,"  he  said 
proudly.  "  But  if  you  so  desire,  I  will  find  the  over 
seer  and  tell  him  that  you  wish  for  some  one  else  in 
my  place." 

"  There  is  not  time,"  was  the  cold  reply.  "  And 
as  well  you  as  any  other.  Let  us  be  going." 

Landless  held  out  his  arms  again.  She  measured 
with  her  eyes  the  distance  between  her  and  the  boat. 
"  I  do  not  need  any  help,"  she  said.  "  If  you  will 
stand  aside,  I  can  spring  from  here  to  the  prow." 

"And  strike  the  water  instead,  madam,". said  Land 
less,  grimly,  "  when  I  would  have  to  touch  more  than 
your  hand  in  order  to  pull  you  out." 

She  colored  angrily,  but  held  out  her  hands.  Land 
less  lifted  her  down  and  steadied  her  to  her  seat  in 
the  stern.  She  thanked  him  coldly,  and  began  at 
once  to  talk  to  Regulus  with  the  playful  familiarity 
of  a  child.  Regulus  grinned  delight;  he  had  been 
"  'lil  Missy's  "  slave  from  her  childhood.  Landless  un 
tied  the  boat  from  the  piles  and  pushed  her  off  ;  Reg 
ulus,  who  was  to  steer,  pulled  the  tiller  towards  him, 
and  the  little  Bluebird  glided  from  the  wharf,  made 
a  wide  and  graceful  sweep,  and  proceeded  leisurely 
down  the  inlet  towards  the  waters  of  the  great  bay. 

Landless  seated  himself  in  the  bow,  and  turned  his 
face  away  from  the  group  in  the  stern.  Patricia 
leaned  back  amidst  her  cushions,  and  opened  a  book ; 
Darkeih,  upon  the  other  side  of  the  rudder,  held  a 
whispered  flirtation  with  Regulus,  squatting  at  her 
feet,  the  tiller  in  his  hand.  There  was  but  little 
wind,  but  what  there  was  came  from  the  land,  and 
the  Bluebird  moved  steadily  though  listlessly  down 


156  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

the  inlet,  between  the  velvet  marshes.  The  water 
broke  against  the  sides  of  the  boat  with  a  languid 
murmur.  It  was  very  hot,  and  the  sky  above  was  of 
a  steely,  unclouded  blue  that  hurt  the  eyes.  Only  in 
the  southwest  the  line  of  cloud  hills  was  erecting  itself 
into  an  Alpine  range.  The  glare  of  the  sun  upon  the 
white  pages  of  her  book  dazzled  Patricia's  eyes ;  the 
heat  and  the  lazy  swaying  motion  made  her  drowsy. 
With  a  sigh  of  oppression  she  closed  her  book,  and 
taking  her  fan  from  Darkeih,  laid  it  across  her  face, 
and  curled  herself  among  her  cushions. 

"  I  will  sleep  awhile,"  she  said  to  her  hand-maiden, 
and  serenely  glided  into  slumberland. 

She  was  in  a  balcony  with  Sir  Charles  Carew,  look 
ing  down  upon  a  fantastic  procession  that  wound  end 
lessly  on,  with  flaunting  banners,  and  to  the  sound  of 
kettle-drums  and  trumpets,  when  she  was  aroused  by 
Landless'  voice.  She  opened  her  eyes  and  looked  up 
from  her  nest  of  cushions  to  see  him  standing  above 
her. 

"  What  is  it?  "  she  asked  frigidly. 

"  I  grieve  to  waken  you,  madam,  but  there  is  a 
heavy  squall  coming  up." 

She  sat  up  and  looked  about  her.  The  Blue 
bird  had  left  the  inlet  and  was  rising  and  falling 
with  the  long  oily  swell  of  the  vast  sheet  of  water 
that  stretched  before  them  to  a  horizon  of  vivid  blue. 
North  and  east  the  water  met  the  sky ;  a  mile  to  the 
westward  was  the  low  wooded  shore  which  they  were 
skirting. 

"  The  sun  is  shining,"  said  Patricia,  bewildered. 
"  The  sky  is  blue." 

"  Look  behind  you." 

She  turned  and  uttered  an  exclamation.    The  Alpine 


THE   WATERS   OF  CHESAPEAKE  157 

range  had  vanished,  and  a  monstrous  pall  of  gray- 
black  cloud  was  being  slowly  drawn  upward  and  across 
the  smiling  heaven.  Even  as  she  looked,  it  blotted 
out  the  sun. 

"We  had  better  make  for  the  shore  at  once,"  said 
Landless.  "  We  can  reach  it  before  the  storm  breaks 
and  can  find  shelter  for  you  until  it  is  over.  ' 

Patricia  exclaimed  :  "  Why,  we  cannot  be  more 
than  three  miles  from  Rosemead !  Surely  we  can 
reach  it  before  that  cloud  overtakes  us  !  " 

"  I  think  not,  madam." 

"  Regulus  !  "  cried  his  mistress  imperiously.  "  We 
can  reach  Rosemead  before  that  storm  breaks,  can  we 
not?" 

Among  other  amiable  qualities,  Regulus  numbered 
a  happy  willingness  to  please,  even  at  the  expense  of 
truth. 

"  Sho-ly,  'lil  Missy,"  he  said  with  emphasis. 

"  And  it  will  not  be  much  of  a  squall,  besides,  will 
it,  Regulus  ?  " 

"  No,  'lil  Missy,  not  much  ob  squall,"  answered  the 
obliging  Regulus. 

"  There  is  much  wind  in  it,"  said  Landless.  "  Look 
at  those  white  clouds  scudding  across  the  black ;  and 
these  squalls  strike  with  suddenness  and  fury.  I  may 
put  the  boat  about,  madam?" 

"  Certainly  not.  Regulus,  who  must  know  the 
Chesapeake  and  its  squalls  much  better  than  you  pos 
sibly  can,  says  there  is  no  danger.  I  have  no  mind 
to  be  set  ashore  in  these  woods  with  night  coming  on 
and  Indians  or  wolves  prowling  around." 

"  I  beg  that  you  will  be  advised  by  me,  madam." 

She  looked  at  him  as  she  had  done  that  day  in  the 
master's  room.  "  Is  it  that  you  are  afraid  of  a  Vir- 


158  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

ginia  squall?  If  so,  you  will  have  to  conquer  your 
tremor.  Regulus,  keep  the  boat  as  it  is." 

Landless  went  back  to  his  seat  in  the  bow,  with 
tightened  lips.  The  wind  freshened,  coming  in  hot 
little  puffs,  and  the  Bluebird  slid  more  swiftly  over 
the  low  hills.  The  water  turned  to  a  livid  green 
and  the  air  slowly  darkened.  Across  the  black  pall, 
looming  higher  and  higher,  shot  a  jagged  streak  of 
fierce  gold,  followed  by  a  low  rumble  of  thunder.  A 
mass  of  gray-white,  fantastically  piled  clouds  whirled 
up  from  the  eastern  horizon  to  meet  the  vast  blank 
sullen  sheet  overhead.  There  came  a  more  vivid  flash 
and  a  louder  roll  of  thunder. 

Landless  walked  aft  and  took  the  tiller  from  Regu 
lus'  hand,  motioning  him  forward  to  the  place  he  had 
himself  occupied.  The  negro  stared,  but  went  with 
his  accustomed  docility.  Patricia  sat  upright  in  in 
dignant  surprise. 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  " 

"I  am  about  to  head  the  boat  for  the  shore,"  suit 
ing  the  action  to  the  word. 

Her  eyes  blazed.  "  Did  you  not  hear  me  say  that 
I  wished  to  proceed  to  Rosemead?  " 

"  Yes,  madam,  I  did." 

"  I  order  you,  sir  —  " 

"  And  I  choose  to  disobey." 

"  I  shall  report  you  to  Colonel  Verney." 

"  As  you  please,  madam." 

From  the  prow,  where  he  had  been  taking  observa 
tions,  Regulus  cried  in  a  startled  voice:  "De  win's 
comin' !  De  win  's  comin'  mighty  quick !  " 

Landless  thrust  the  tiller  into  Patricia's  hands. 
"  Keep  it  there,  just  where  it  is,  for  your  life ! "  he 
cried  authoritatively,  and  bounded  forward  to  where 


THE   WATERS   OF  CHESAPEAKE  159 

Regulus  was  already  struggling  with  the  sail.  They 
got  it  in  and  lashed  to  the  mast  just  in  time,  for,  with 
the  shriek  of  a  thousand  demons,  the  squall  whirled 
itself  upon  them.  In  an  instant  they  were  enveloped 
in  a  blinding  horror  of  furious  wind  and  rain,  glare  of 
lightning  and  incessant,  ear-splitting  thunder.  A 
leaden  darkness,  illuminated  only  by  the  lightning, 
settled  around  them,  and  the  air  grew  suddenly  cold. 
Beneath  the  whip  of  the  wind  the  Chesapeake  woke 
from  slumber,  stirred,  and  rose  in  fury.  The  Blue 
bird  danced  dizzily  upon  white  crests  or  swooped 
into  black  and  yawning  chasms.  Steadying  himself 
by  the  thwarts,  Landless  went  back  to  Patricia, 
sitting  pale  and  with  clasped  hands,  but  making  no 
sound.  Darkeih,  with  a  moan  of  fear,  had  thrown 
herself  down  at  her  mistress'  feet,  and  was  hiding 
her  face  in  her  skirts.  Landless  took  a  scarf  from 
among  the  pile  of  cushions,  and  wrapped  it  around 
Patricia.  "  'T  is  a  poor  protection  against  wet  and 
cold,"  he  said,  "  but  it  is  better  than  nothing." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  then,  with  an  effort.  "  Do 
you  think  this  squall  will  last  long  ?  " 

"I  cannot  tell,  madam.  It  is  rather  a  hurricane 
than  a  squall.  But  we  must  do  the  best  we  can." 

As  he  spoke  there  came  a  fresh  access  of  wind  with 
a  glare  of  intolerable  light.  The  mast  bent  like  a 
reed,  snapped  off  clear  to  the  foot  and  fell  inward, 
the  loosened  beam  striking  Regulus  upon  the  head, 
and  bearing  him  down  with  it.  The  boat  careened 
violently,  and  half  filled  with  water.  Darkeih 
screamed,  and  Patricia  sprang  to  her  feet,  but  sat 
down  again  at  Landless'  stern  command,  "  Sit  still ! 
She  will  right  in  a  moment." 

lie  lifted  and  flung  overboard  the  mass  of  splint- 


160  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

ered  wood  and  flapping  cloth,  then  fell  to  bailing  with 
all  his  might,  for  the  danger  of  swamping  was  immi 
nent.  Presently  Patricia  touched  him  upon  the  arm. 
*'  I  will  bail  if  you  will  see  to  Regulus,"  she  said,  in 
a  low,  strained  voice.  "  I  think  he  is  dead." 

Landless  resigned  the  pail  into  her  hands  and  lifted 
the  negro's  head  and  shoulders  from  the  water  in 
which  he  was  lying,  pillowing  them  upon  the  stern 
seat.  He  was  unconscious,  and  bleeding  from  a  cut 
on  the  forehead. 

"  He  is  not  dead  nor  like  to  die,"  Landless  said. 
"  He  will  revive  before  long." 

The  girl  gave  a  long,  quivering  sigh  of  relief. 
Landless  finished  the  bailing  and  sat  down  at  her 
feet. 

Some  time  later  she  asked  faintly :  "  Do  you  not 
think  the  worst  is  over  now  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  not,"  he  answered  gently.  "  There 
is  a  lull  now,  but  I  am  afraid  the  storm  is  but  gather 
ing  its  forces.  But  we  will  hope  for  the  best  —  " 

Another  flash  and  crash  cut  him  short.  It  was 
followed  by  rain  that  fell,  not  in  drops,  but  in  sheets. 
The  wind,  which  had  been  blowing  a  heavy  gale,  rose 
suddenly  into  a  tornado.  With  it  rose  the  sea.  The 
masses  of  water,  hissing  and  smoking  under  the 
furious  pelting  of  the  rain,  flung  themselves  upon 
the  hapless  Bluebird,  laboring  heavily  in  the  trough 
of  the  waves,  or  staggering  over  their  summits.  A 
constant  glare  lit  the  heaving,  tossing  world  of  waters, 
and  the  air  became  one  roar  of  wind,  rain,  and  thun 
der. 

Darkeih  crouched  moaning  at  her  mistress'  feet. 
Regulus  lay  unconscious,  breathing  heavily.  Sud 
denly,  with  a  quick  intake  of  his  breath,  Landless 


THE   WATERS   OF  CHESAPEAKE  161 

seized  Patricia,  pulled  her  down  into  the  bottom  of 
the  boat,  and  held  her  there. 

"  I  see,"  she  said  in  a  low,  awed  voice.  "  It  is 
Death!" 

Through  the  glare  a  long  green  wall  bore  down 
upon  them.  The  Bluebird  leaped  to  meet  it.  It  lifted 
her  up,  up  to  meet  the  lightning,  then  hurled  her  into 
black  depths,  and  passed  on,  leaving  her  staggering 
in  the  trough,  water-logged  and  helpless. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    FACE    IN    THE    DARK 

PATRICIA  lifted  her  white  face  from  her  hands. 
"We  rode  that  dreadful  wave?"  she  cried  incredu 
lously. 

"  By  God's  mercy,  yes,"  said  Landless  gravely. 

"  Is  there  any  hope  for  us  ?  " 

Landless  hesitated.  "  Tell  me  the  truth,"  she  said 
imperiously. 

"  We  are  in  desperate  case,  madam.  The  boat  is 
half  filled  with  water.  Another  such  sea  will  sink 
us." 

"  Why  do  you  not  bail  the  boat  ?  " 

"  The  bucket  is  gone  ;  the  tiller  also." 

She  shivered,  and  Darkeih  began  to  wail  aloud. 
Landless  laid  a  heavy  hand  upon  the  latter's  shoulder. 
"  Silence  !  "  he  said  sternly.  "  Here  !  I  shall  lay 
Regulus'  head  in  your  lap,  and  you  are  to  watch  over 
him  and  not  to  think  of  yourself.  There  's  a  brave 
wench ! " 

Darkeih's  lamentations  subsided  into  a  low  sobbing, 
and  Landless  turned  to  her  mistress. 

"  Try  to  keep  up  your  courage,  madam,"  he  said. 
"  Our  peril  is  great ;  but  while  there  is  life  there  is 
hope." 

"  I  am  not  afraid,"  she  said.  "I  —  '  The  pitch 
ing  of  the  boat  threw  her  against  Landless,  and  he 
put  his  arm  about  her.  "  You  must  let  me  hold  you, 


THE   FACE   IN   THE   DARK  163 

madam,"  he  said  quietly.  She  shrank  away  from  his 
touch,  saying  breathlessly,  "  No,  oh  no  !  See  !  I  can 
hold  quite  well  by  the  gunwale."  He  acquiesced  in 
silence,  only  lifting  her  into  a  more  secure  position. 
"  I  thank  you,"  she  said  humbly. 

The  storm  continued  to  rage  with  unabated  fury. 
Flash  and  detonation  succeeded  flash  and  detonation  ; 
the  rain  poured  in  torrents ;  and  the  wind  whooped 
on  the  angry  sea  like  a  demon  of  destruction.  The 
Bluebird  pitched  and  tossed  at  the  mercy  of  the 
great  waves  that  combed  above  her.  Time  passed, 
and  to  the  darkness  of  the  storm  was  added  the  dark 
ness  of  the  night.  The  occupants  of  the  boat,  drenched 
by  the  rain  and  the  seas  she  had  shipped,  shivered 
with  cold.  Regulus  began  to  stir  and  mutter.  "  He 
is  coming  to  himself,"  Landless  cried  to  Darkeih. 
"  When  you  see  that  he  is  conscious,  make  him  lie 
still.  He  must  not  move  about." 

"  Do  you  know  where  we  are  ?  "  asked  Patricia. 

"  No,  madam ;  but  I  fear  that  the  wind  is  driving 
us  out  into  the  bay." 

"  Ah ! " 

She  said  it  with  a  sob,  for  a  sudden  vision  of  home 
flashed  across  the  cold  and  darkness  ;  and  presently 
Landless  could  hear  that  she  was  weeping. 

The  sound  went  to  his  heart.  "  I  would  God  I 
could  help  you,  madam,"  he  said  gently.  "  Take  com 
fort  !  You  are  in  the  hands  of  One  who  holds  the  sea 
in  the  hollow  of  His  hand." 

In  a  little  while  she  was  quiet.  There  passed  an 
other  long  interval  of  silent  endurance,  broken  by 
Patricia's  saying  piteously,  "  My  hands  are  so  numbed 
with  cold  that  I  cannot  hold  to  the  side  of  the  boat. 
And  my  arms  are  bruised  with  striking  against  it." 


164  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

Without  a  word  Landless  put  his  arm  around  her, 
and  held  her  steady  amidst  the  tossings  of  the  boat. 
"  You  are  shivering  with  cold  !  "  he  said.  "  If  I  had 
but  something  to  wrap  you  in  !  " 

She  drooped  against  him,  and  the  lightning  showed 
him  her  face,  still  and  white,  with  parted  lips,  and 
long  lashes  sweeping  her  marble  cheek. 

"  Madam,  madam !  "  he  cried  roughly.  "  You 
must  not  swoon  !  You  must  not !  " 

With  a  strong  effort  she  rallied.  "  I  will  try  to  be 
brave,"  she  said  plaintively.  "  I  am  not  frightened, 
—  not  very  much.  But  oh !  I  am  cold  and  tired !  " 

He  drew  her  head  down  upon  his  knee.  "  Let  it 
lie  there,"  he  said,  speaking  as  to  a  tired  child.  "I 
will  hold  you  quite  steady.  Now  shut  your  eyes  and 
try  to  sleep.  The  storm  is  no  worse  than  it  was  ; 
and  since  the  boat  has  lived  this  long  in  this  sea,  she 
may  live  through  the  night.  And  with  morning  may 
come  many  chances  of  safety.  Try  to  rest  in  that 
hope." 

Faint  and  exhausted  from  cold  and  terror,  she  sub 
mitted  like  a  child,  and  lay  with  closed  eyes  in  a  sort 
of  stupor  within  his  arms. 

There  was  less  lightning  now,  and  the  thunder 
sounded  in  long  booming  peals,  instead  of  short,  sharp 
cannon  cracks.  The  rain,  too,  had  ceased ;  but  the 
wind  blew  furiously,  and  the  sea  ran  in  tremendous 
waves.  Regulus  stirred,  groaned,  and  struggled  into 
a  sitting  posture.  "  Lie  down  again  !  "  ordered  Dar- 
keih.  "  We  's  all  on  de  way  to  Heaben,  but  if  nigger 
shake  de  boat,  we  '11  get  dere  befo'  de  Lawd  ready  for 
us.  Lie  down !  "  Regulus,  muttering  to  himself, 
looked  stupidly  about  him,  then  dropped  his  head 
back  into  her  lap.  In  three  minutes  he  was  snoring. 


THE  FACE  IN  THE  DARK  1G5 

Davkeih's  whimpering  died  away,  and  her  turbaned 
head  sank  lower  and  lower,  until  it  rested  upon  that 
of  Regulus,  and  she,  too,  slept. 

Landless  sat  very  still,  holding  his  burden  lightly 
and  tenderly,  and  staring  into  the  darkness.  Against 
the  steep  slope  of  the  sea,  a  picture  framed  itself, 
melted  away,  and  was  followed  by  others  in  long  pro 
cession.  He  saw  a  ruinous,  ivy-grown  hall,  and  an 
old,  grave,  formal  garden,  where,  between  long  box 
hedges  broken  by  fantastic  yews,  there  walked  a  boy, 
book  in  hand.  A  man  with  a  stately  figure  and  a 
stern,  careworn  face  met  the  boy,  and  they  leaned 
upon  a  broken  dial,  and  the  father  reasoned  with  the 
son  of  Right  and  Truth  and  Liberty,  and  something 
touched  upon  the  Tyrannicides  of  old.  The  yew  trees 
drooped  their  sombre  boughs  about  the  figures,  and 
they  were  gone,  and  in  their  place  roared  and  swelled 
the  Chesapeake.  .  .  .  The  sound  of  the  storm  became 
the  sound  of  a  battle-cry.  He  saw  a  clanging  fight 
where  sword  clashed  upon  armor,  and  artillery  belched 
fire  and  thunder,  and  horse  and  man  went  down  in 
the  melee,  and  were  trampled  under  foot  amidst 
shrieks  and  oaths  and  stern  prayers.  The  boy  who 
had  leaned  upon  the  dial  fought  coolly,  desperately, 
drunk  with  the  joy  of  battle,  stung  to  fierce  effort  by 
his  father's  eyes.  The  great  banner,  blazoned  with 
the  Cross  of  Saint  George,  streamed  in  crimson  and 
azure  between  the  battle  and  the  lonely  watcher  in 
the  storm-tossed  boat,  and  the  vision  was  gone.  .  .  . 
The  spires  of  a  great  city,  where  men  walked  with 
long  faces  and  church  bells  made  the  only  music,  rose 
through  the  gloom,  and  he  saw  a  dingy  chamber  in  a 
dingy  stack  of  buildings,  and  within  it,  bending  over 
great  tomes  of  law,  a  man,  impoverished  and  orphaned, 


166  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

but  young,  strong,  and  full  of  hope,  —  a  man  well 
spoken  of  and  allowed  to  be  on  the  road  to  high 
preferment.  The  chamber  wavered  into  darkness  ; 
but  the  city  spires  flashed  light,  and  the  slow  ringing 
changed  to  mad  peals  from  joy  bells.  Some  one  had 
been  restored  —  to  drop  balm  upon  the  bleeding  heart 
of  a  nation,  to  bring  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness, 
—  so  said  the  joy  bells.  .  .  .  He  saw  a  loathsome 
prison,  and  the  man  who  had  sat  in  the  dingy  cham 
ber  lying  therein  under  accusation  of  a  crime  which 
he  had  not  committed.  He  saw  him  pining  there, 
week  after  week,  month  after  month,  untried,  forgot 
ten,  at  the  mercy  of  an  enemy  to  his  house  whose  day 
had  come  with  the  Restored  One.  .  .  .  The  prison 
vanished,  and  the  waves  that  tossed  around  him  were 
the  waves  of  the  Atlantic.  A  ship  ploughed  her  way 
through  them.  He  saw  into  her  hold,  —  a  horrible 
place  of  stench  and  filth  and  darkness,  —  a  place  where 
hounds  would  not  have  kenneled.  Men  and  women 
were  there  who  cursed  and  fought  for  the  scanty, 
worm-eaten  food  that  was  thrown  them.  Some  wore 
gyves :  they  were  heavy  upon  the  wrists  and  ankles 
of  the  man  of  his  vision.  He  saw  a  face  looking 
down  upon  this  man,  a  handsome  supercilious  face, 
with  insolent  amusement  in  the  languid  eyes  and  in 
the  curves  of  the  lips.  The  hatches  were  battened 
down  upon  the  cargo  of  misery,  and  the  ship  with  its 
brutal  captain  and  its  handful  of  gold-laced,  dicing, 
swearing  passengers  vanished.  .  .  .  He  saw  a  sandy, 
grass-grown  street,  and  a  row  of  mean  houses,  and  a 
low,  brick  building  with  barred  windows.  There  was 
a  crowd  before  this  building,  and  a  man  standing 
upon  the  platform  of  a  pillory  was  selling  human 
flesh  and  blood.  He  saw  the  boy  who  had  stood  be- 


THE  FACE  IN  THE  DARK         167 

neath  the  yews  of  the  old  Hall,  who  had  fought  at 
Worcester  beneath  his  father's  eye  ;  the  man  who  had 
lain  in  prison  and  in  the  noisome  hold  of  the  ship, 
put  up  and  sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  He  saw  him 
carried  away  with  other  merchandise  to  the  home  of 
his  purchaser.  He  saw  a  Virginia  plantation  lying 
fair  and  serene  beneath  a  Virginia  heaven  ;  and  a  wide 
porch,  and  standing  therein  an  angelic  vision,  all 
grace  and  beauty,  vivid  youth  and  splendor. 

The  picture  vanished  into  the  night  that  raved 
about  him,  and  with  a  long  shaken  sigh  he  let  his  eyes 
fall  from  the  watery  steeps  to  the  face  of  the  woman 
who  lay  within  his  arms.  He  had  not  looked  at  her 
before,  conceiving  that  she  might  be  awake  and  feel 
his  glance  upon  her.  Now  he  could  tell  from  her 
breathing  that  she  slept.  He  gazed  upon  the  pure 
pale  face  with  the  golden  hair  falling  about  it,  in  a 
passion  of  pity  and  tenderness.  She  moaned  now  and 
then  in  her  sleep,  or  turned  uneasily  in  his  arms. 
Once  she  spoke  a  few  words,  and  he  bent  eagerly  to 
catch  them,  thinking  that  she  had  awakened  and  was 
speaking  to  him.  They  were  :  — 

"  Ah,  your  Excellency !  where  I  reign  there  shall 
be  only  good  Churchmen  and  loyal  Cavaliers  —  no 
Roundheads,  no  rebel  or  convict  servants !  "  and  she 
laughed  in  her  sleep. 

Landless  shrank  as  from  a  mortal  blow,  then  broke 
into  a  bitter  laugh,  and  said  to  himself,  "  Thou  art  a 
fool,  Godfrey  Landless.  It  were  but  too  easy  to  for 
get  to-night  what  thou  art  and  what  thou  must  seem 
to  her.  Thou  art  answered  according  to  thy  folly." 
He  sighed  impatiently,  and  withdrawing  his  gaze 
from  the  sleeping  face,  fell  into  a  sombre  reverie. 

He  was  roused  to  active  consciousness  by  a  sudden 


1G8  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

and  death-like  pause  in  the  gale.  The  lightning 
showed  the  pall  of  cloud  hanging  low,  black,  and  un 
broken  ;  but  the  wind  had  sunk  into  an  ominous  calm. 
He  looked  anxiously  around  him,  then  softly  disen 
gaging  himself  from  Patricia,  leaned  across  her,  and 
shook  Regulus  awake.  The  negro  started  up,  stupid 
from  sleep  and  from  his  wound. 

"  What  is  it,  massa  ?  "  he  queried.  "  Wake  mighty 
early  at  Rosemead.  .  .  .  Lawd  hab  mercy  !  we  's  still 
on  de  Chesapeake  !  " 

"  We  will  be  in  the  Chesapeake  in  a  moment,"  said 
Landless  sternly,  "  if  you  stagger  about  in  that  way. 
Sit  down  and  pull  your  wits  together.  You  are  like 
to  need  them  all  directly."  He  touched  Darkeih  and 
said,  as  her  eyes,  wide  with  alarm,  opened  upon  him, 
"  Listen,  my  wench  !  Whatever  happens,  you  are  to 
trust  yourself  to  Regulus.  He  is  a  strong  swimmer 
and  he  will  take  care  of  you.  You  hear,  Regulus  !  " 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  exclaimed  Patricia,  as  he  bent  over 
her.  "  Why  have  you  waked  Regulus  ?  And  oh ! 
has  not  that  dreadful  wind  died  away  ?  " 

"  It  has  stopped,  madam,  stopped  suddenly  and 
utterly,"  he  said  gravely.  "  But  it  will  come  upon 
us  from  another  quarter,  and  it  will  bring  the  sea 
wTith  it."  He  raised  her,  and  held  her  with  his  arm. 
"  Trust  yourself  to  me  when  it  comes,"  he  said  gently. 
"If  I  can  save  you,  I  will." 

There  was  no  time  for  more.  Above  them  broke  a 
new  and  more  terrible  storm.  A  ball  of  fire  shot 
from  the  cloud  into  the  sea ;  it  was  followed  by  a 
crash  that  seemed  to  shake  the  earth.  A  cataract  of 
rain  descended.  From  the  northeast  there  swooped 
upon  them  a  wind  to  which  the  gale  of  an  hour  before 
seemed  a  zephyr.  It  drove  the  boat  before  it  as  if  she 


THE  FACE  IN  THE  DARK        169 

had  been  the  bird  from  which  she  took  her  name.  It 
piled  wave  on  wave  until  the  sea  ran  in  mountains. 
Athwart  the  storm  came  a  dull  booming  roar,  and 
above  the  great  hills  of  water  appeared  a  long  ridge 
crested  with  white. 

"It  is  coming,"  said  Landless. 

Patricia  looked  up  at  him  with  great,  despairing, 
courageous  eyes.  "  I  have  caused  your  death,"  she 
said.  "  Forgive  me." 

There  came  a  vivid  flash,  and  a  loud  scream  from 
Darkeih.  "  De  Ian' !  de  bressed,  bressed,  Ian' !  " 

Landless  wheeled.  Silhouetted  against  the  lit  sky 
he  saw  a  fringe  of  pines,  and  below  it  a  low,  shelving 
shore  where  the  waves  were  breaking  in  foam  and 
thunder.  The  Bluebird,  driven  by  the  wind,  was 
hurrying  towards  it  in  mad  bounds.  The  great  wave 
overtook  her,  bore  her  onward  with  it,  and  sunk  her 
within  fifty  feet  of  the  shore. 

Ten  minutes  later  Landless,  breathless  and  ex 
hausted,  staggered  from  out  the  hell  of  pounding 
waves  and  blinding,  stinging  spray  on  to  the  shore. 
Unlocking  Patricia's  arms  from  about  his  neck,  he 
laid  her  gently  down  upon  the  sand  and  turned  to 
look  for  the  other  occupants  of  the  hapless  Bluebird. 
They  were  close  behind  him.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
two  men,  battling  against  wind  and  rain,  had  borne  the 
women  out  of  reach  of  the  waves,  and  had  placed  them 
in  the  shelter  of  a  low  bank  of  sand.  As  Landless 
set  his  burden  down  he  said  reverently,  "  I  thank 
God,  madam." 

"  And  I  thank  God,"  she  answered,  in  the  same 
tone. 

He  tried  to  shield  her  from  the  wind  with  his  body. 
"  It  is  frightful,"  he  said,  "  that  you  should  be  ex- 


170  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

posed  to  such  a  night.  I  pray  God  that  you  take  no 
harm." 

"  Would  it  not  be  more  sheltered  higher  up  the 
shore,  under  those  trees  ?  " 

"Perhaps,  but  I  fear  to  risk  you  there  with  the 
lightning  so  near.  Later,  when  the  storm  subsides, 
we  will  try  it." 

He  seated  himself  so  as  to  screen  her  as  much  as 
possible  from  wind  and  rain,  and  a  silence  fell  upon 
the  party  so  suddenly  snatched  from  death.  Regulus 
stretched  himself  upon  the  sand  and  pulled  Darkeih 
down  beside  him.  Within  a  few  minutes  they  were 
both  asleep.  The  white  man  and  woman  sat  side  by 
side  without  speaking,  watching  the  storm. 

By  degrees  it  raved  itself  out.  The  rain  fell  in  less 
and  less  volume,  the  lightning  became  infrequent,  the 
thunder  pealed  less  loudly,  and  the  wind  died  from  a 
hurricane  into  a  breeze.  In  two  hours'  time  from  the 
swamping  of  the  boat  the  booming  of  the  sea,  and  a 
ragged  mass  of  cloud,  lit  by  an  occasional  flash  and 
slowly  falling  away  from  a  pale  and  watery  moon, 
were  the  only  evidences  of  the  tornado  which  had 
raged  so  lately. 

"  The  storm  is  over,"  said  Patricia,  breaking  a 
long  silence. 

"  Yes,"  said  Landless.  "  You  have  nothing  to  fear 
now.  Would  you  not  like  to  walk  a  little?  You 
must  be  sadly  chilled  and  weary  with  long  sitting." 

"  Yes,  I  would,"  she  answered,  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 
"  Let  us  walk  towards  those  trees,  and  see  if  forest  or 
water  be  beyond  them." 

He  helped  her  to  her  feet,  and  they  left  the  slaves 
sleeping  upon  the  ground,  and  moved  slowly,  for  she 
was  numbed  with  cold,  towards  the  fringe  of  pines. 


171 

Landless  walked  beside  her  without  speaking.  A 
while  ago  she  had  been  simply  a  woman  in  danger  of 
death  —  something  for  him  to  protect  and  to  save. 
He  had  well  nigh  forgotten :  he  knew  that  she  had 
quite  forgotten.  She  was  safe  now,  and  was  become 
once  more  the  lady  of  the  manor  to  whose  soil  he  was 
fettered.  He  had  remembered,  and  she  was  beginning 
to  remember,  for  presently  she  said  timidly  and 
sweetly,  but  with  condescension  in  her  voice  ;  — 

"  I  am  not  ungrateful  for  all  that  you  have  done 
for  me  to-night,  for  saving  my  life.  And,  trust  me, 
you  will  not  find  your  mas  —  my  father,  ungrateful 
either.  We  will  find  some  way  to  reward  —  " 

"  I  neither  merit  nor  desire  reward,  madam,"  said 
Landless,  proudly  and  sadly,  "  for  doing  but  my  duty 
as  a  man  and  as  your  servant." 

"  But  —  "  she  began  kindly,  when  he  interrupted 
her  with  sudden  passion. 

"  Unless  you  wish  to  cut  me  to  the  heart,  to  bitterly 
humiliate  me,  you  will  not  speak  of  payment  for  any 
service  I  may  have  done  you.  I  have  been  a  gentle 
man,  madam.  For  this  one  night  treat  me  as  such." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  she  said  at  once. 

They  reached  the  belt  of  trees  and  entered  it. 
Outside,  the  broken  clouds  had  permitted  an  occasional 
gleam  of  watery  moonshine  ;  within  the  shadow  of  the 
trees  it  was  gross  darkness.  Above  them  the  wet 
branches,  moved  by  the  wind  which  still  blew  strongly, 
clashed  together  with  a  harsh  and  mournful  sound, 
showering  them  with  heavy  raindrops.  Their  feet 
sank  deeply  in  cushions  of  soaked  moss  and  rotting 
leaves. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  be  done  here,"  said  Landless. 
"  It  is  better  beneath  the  open  sky." 


172  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

There  came  a  last,  vivid  flash  of  lightning  that  for 
a  moment  lit  the  wood,  showing  long  colonnades  of 
glistening  tree  trunks,  with  here  and  there  a  blasted 
and  fallen  monster.  It  showed  something  more,  for 
within  ten  feet  of  them,  from  out  a  tangle  of  drip 
ping,  rain-beaten  vines  looked  the  face  of  the  murderer 
of  Robert  Godwyn. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

LANDLESS    AND    FATRICIA 

FOR  one  moment  the  parties  to  this  midnight  en 
counter  stared  at  each  other  with  starting  eyeballs ; 
the  next,  down  came  the  curtain  of  darkness  between 
them. 

With  a  cry  of  terror  Patricia  seized  and  clung  to 
Landless's  arm,  trembling  violently,  and  with  her 
breath  coming  in  long,  gasping  sobs.  Exhausted  by 
the  previous  terrors  of  the  night,  this  last  experience 
completely  unnerved  her  —  she  seemed  upon  the  point 
of  swooning.  Divining  what  would  soonest  calm  her, 
Landless  hurried  her  out  of  the  wood  and  down  the 
shore  to  the  bank,  beneath  which  lay  the  sleeping 
slaves.  Here  she  sank  upon  the  sand,  her  frame 
quivering  like  an  aspen.  "  That  dreadful  face  !  "  she 
said  in  a  low,  shaken  voice.  "  It  is  burned  upon  my 
eyeballs.  How  came  it  there  ?  Was  it  —  dead  ?  " 

"No,  no,  madam,"  Landless  said  soothingly. 
"'Tis  simple  enough.  The  murderer  is  in  hiding 
within  these  woods,  and  we  stumbled  upon  his  lair." 

She  gazed  fearfully  around  her.  "  I  see  it  every 
where.  And  may  he  not  follow  us  down  here  ?  Oh, 
horrible !  " 

"  He  is  not  likely  to  do  that,"  said  Landless,  with  a 
smile.  "  You  may  rest  assured  that  he  is  far  from 
this  by  now." 

She  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief.     "  Oh !  I  hope  he 


174  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

is !  "  she  cried  fervently.  "  It  was  dreadful !  No 
storm  could  frighten  me  as  did  that  face !  "  and  she 
shuddered  again. 

"  Try  not  to  think  of  it,"  he  said.  "  It  is  gone 
now ;  try  to  forget  it." 

"  I  will  try,"  she  said  doubtfully. 

Landless  did  not  answer,  and  the  two  sat  in  silence, 
watching  out  the  dreary  night.  But  not  for  long, 
for  presently  Patricia  said  humbly  :  — 

"  Will  you  talk  to  me  ?  I  am  frightened.  It  is  so 
still,  and  I  cannot  see  you,  nor  the  slaves,  only  that 
horrid,  horrid  face.  I  see  it  everywhere." 

Landless  came  nearer  to  her,  and  laid  one  hand 
upon  the  skirt  of  her  wet  robe.  "  I  am  here,  close  to 
you,  madam,"  he  said;  "there  can  nothing  harm 

you." 

He  began  to  speak  quietly  and  naturally  of  this  and 
that,  of  what  they  should  do  when  the  day  broke,  of 
Regulus's  wound,  of  the  storm,  of  the  great  sea  and 
its  perils.  He  told  her  something  of  these  latter,  for 
he  knew  the  sea ;  piteous  tales  of  forlorn  wrecks, 
brave  tales  of  dangers  faced  and  overcome,  of  heroic 
endurance  and  heroic  rescue.  He  told  her  tales  of  a 
wild,  rockbound  Devonshire  coast  with  its  scattered 
fisher  villages ;  of  a  hidden  cave,  the  resort  of  a  band 
of  desperadoes,  half  smugglers,  half  pirates,  wholly 
villains ;  of  how  this  cave  had  been  long  and  vainly 
searched  for  by  the  authorities  ;  of  how,  one  night, 
a  boy  climbed  down  a  great  precipice,  scaring  the  sea- 
fowl  from  their  nests,  and  lighted  upon  this  cavern 
with  the  smugglers  in  it,  and  in  their  midst  a  defense 
less  prisoner  whom  they  were  about  to  murder.  How 
he  had  shouted  and  made  wailing,  outlandish  noises, 
and  had  sent  rocks  hurtling  down  the  cliffs,  until  the 


LANDLESS   AND   PATRICIA  175 

wretches  thought  that  all  the  goblins  of  land  and  sea 
were  upon  them,  and  rushed  from  the  cavern,  leaving 
their  work  undone.  Whereupon,  the  boy  reclimbed 
the  cliff,  and  hastening  to  the  nearest  village,  roused 
the  inhabitants,  who  hurried  to  their  boats,  and  de 
scending  upon  the  long-sought-for  cave,  surprised  the 
smugglers,  cut  them  down  to  a  man,  and  rescued  the 
prisoner. 

The  man  who  told  these  things  told  them  well. 
The  wild  tales  ran  like  a  strain  of  sombre  music 
through  the  night.  His  audience  of  one  forgot  her 
terror  and  weariness,  and  listened  with  eager  interest. 

"  Well  —  "  she  said,  as  he  paused. 

"  That  is  all.  The  ruffians  were  all  killed  and  the 
prisoner  rescued." 

"And  the  boy?" 

"  Oh,  the  boy  !     He  went  back  to  his  books." 

"  Did  you  know  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  knew  him.  See,  madam,  it  has  quite 
cleared.  How  the  moon  whitens  those  leaping 
waves ! " 

"  Yes,  it  is  beautiful.  I  am  glad  the  prisoner 
escaped.  Was  he  a  fisherman  ?  " 

"  No  ;  an  officer  of  the  Excise  —  a  gallant  man, 
with  a  wife  and  many  children.  Yes,  I  suppose  he 
prized  life." 

"And  I  am  glad  that  the  smugglers  were  all 
killed." 

Landless  smiled.  "  Life  to  them  was  sweet,  too, 
perhaps." 

"I  do  not  care.  They  were  wicked  men  who 
deserved  to  die.  They  had  murdered  and  robbed. 
They  were  criminals  — 

She  stopped  short,  and  her  face  turned  from  white 


176  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

to  red  and  then  to  white  again,  and  her  eyes  sought 
the  ground. 

"  I  had  forgotten,"  she  muttered. 

The  hot  color  rose  to  Landless's  cheek,  but  he  said 
quietly :  — 

"  You  had  forgotten  what,  madam  ?  " 

She  flashed  a  look  upon  him.  "  You  know,"  she 
said  icily. 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  he  answered.  "  I  know  that  the 
perils  of  this  night  had  driven  from  your  mind  several 
things.  For  a  little  while  you  have  thought  of,  and 
treated  me,  as  an  equal,  have  you  not?  You  could 
not  have  been  more  gracious  to,  —  let  us  say,  to  Sir 
Charles  Carew.  But  now  you  have  remembered  what 
I  am,  a  man  degraded  and  enslaved,  a  felon,  —  in 
short,  the  criminal  who,  as  you  very  justly  say,  should 
not  be  let  to  live." 

She  made  no  answer,  and  he  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  It  is  almost  day,  and  the  moon  is  shining  brightly. 
You  no  longer  fear  the  face  in  the  dark  ?  I  will  first 
waken  the  slaves,  and  then  will  push  along  the  shore, 
and  strive  to  discover  where  we  are." 

She  looked  at  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes.  "  Wait," 
she  said,  putting  out  a  trembling  hand.  "  I  have  hurt 
you.  I  am  sorry.  Who  am  I  to  judge  you  ?  And 
whatever  you  may  have  done,  however  wicked  you 
may  have  been,  to-night  you  have  borne  yourself 
towards  a  defenseless  maiden  as  truly  and  as  courte 
ously  as  could  have  done  the  best  gentleman  in  the 
land.  And  she  begs  you  to  forget  her  thoughtless 
words." 

Landless  fell  upon  his  knee  before  her.  "  Madam ! " 
he  cried,  "  I  have  thought  you  the  fairest  piece  of 
work  in  God's  creation,  but  harder  than  marble 


LANDLESS   AND   PATRICIA  177 

towards  suffering  such  as  may  you  never  understand ! 
I>ut  now  you  are  a  pitying  angel !  If  I  swear  to  you 
by  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,  by  the  God  above  us, 
that  I  am  no  criminal,  that  I  did  not  do  the  thing  for 
which  I  suffer,  will  you  believe  me?" 

"  You  mean  that  you  are  an  innocent  man?"  she 
said  breathlessly. 

"  As  God  lives,  yes,  madam." 

"  Then  why  are  you  here  ?  " 

"  I  am  here,  madam,"  he  said  bitterly,  "  because 
Justice  is  not  blind.  She  is  only  painted  so.  Led  by 
the  gleam  of  gold  she  can  see  well  enough  —  in  one 
direction.  I  could  not  prove  my  innocence.  I  shall 
never  be  able  to  do  so.  And  any  one  —  Sir  William 
Berkeley,  your  father,  your  kinsman  —  would  tell  you 
that  you  are  now  listening  to  one  who  differs  from  the 
rest  of  the  Newgate  contingent,  from  the  coiners  and 
cheats,  the  cut-throats  and  highway  robbers  in  whose 
company  he  is  numbered,  only  in  being  hypocrite  as 
well  as  knave.  And  yet  I  ask  you  to  believe  me.  I 
am  innocent  of  that  wrong." 

The  moonlight  struck  full  upon  his  face  as  he  knelt 
before  her.  She  looked  at  him  long  and  intently,  with 
large,  calm  eyes,  then  said  softly  and  sweetly :  — 

"  I  believe  you,  and  pity  you,  sir.  You  have  suf 
fered  much." 

He  bowed  his  head,  and  pressed  the  hem  of  her 
skirt  to  his  lips. 

"  I  thank  you,"  he  said  brokenly. 

"Is  there  nothing?"  she  said  after  a  pause,  "no 
thing  that  I  can  do  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  Nothing,  madam.  You  have 
given  me  your  belief  and  your  divine  compassion.  It 
is  all  that  I  ask,  more  than  I  dared  dream  of  asking 


178  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

an  hour  ago.  You  cannot  help  me.  I  must  dree  my 
weird.  I  would  even  ask  of  your  goodness  that  you 
say  nothing  of  what  I  have  told  you  to  Colonel  Ver- 
ney  or  to  any  one." 

"  Yes,"  she  said  thoughtfully.  "  If  I  cannot  help 
you,  it  were  wiser  not  to  speak.  I  might  but  make 
your  hard  lot  harder." 

"  Again  I  thank  you."  He  kissed  the  hem  of  her 
robe  once  more,  and  rose  to  his  feet  with  a  heart  that 
sat  lightly  on  its  throne. 

The  day  began  to  break.  With  the  first  faint  flush 
Landless  woke  the  slaves,  who  at  length  yawned  and 
shivered  themselves  into  consciousness  of  their  sur 
roundings.  "  What  are  we  to  do  now  ?  "  demanded 
Patricia. 

"We  had  best  strike  through  that  belt  of  woods 
until  we  come  to  some  house,  whence  we  may  get  con 
veyance  for  you  to  Verney  Manor." 

"  Very  well.  But  oh  !  do  not  let  us  enter  the  forest 
here  where  we  saw  that  fearful  face.  Let  us  walk 
along  the  shore  until  the  light  grows  stronger.  It  is 
still  night  within  the  woods." 

Landless  acquiesced  with  a  smile,  and  the  four  — 
he  and  Patricia  in  front,  the  negroes  straying  in  the 
rear  —  set  out  along  the  shore.  The  air  was  chill 
and  heavy,  but  there  was  no  wind,  and  the  unclouded 
sky  gave  promise  of  a  hot  day.  In  the  east  the  rosy 
flush  spread  and  deepened,  and  a  pink  path  stretched 
itself  across  the  fast  subsiding  waters.  The  wet  sand 
dragged  at  their  feet,  and  made  walking  difficult ; 
moreover  Patricia  was  chilled  and  weary,  so  their  pro 
gress  was  slow.  There  were  dark  circles  beneath  her 
eyes,  and  her  lips  had  a  weary,  downward  curve ;  her 
golden  hair,  broken  from  its  fastenings,  hung  in  damp, 


LANDLESS  AND   PATRICIA  179 

rich  masses  against  her  white  throat  and  blue-veined 
temples,  and  amidst  the  enshrouding  glory  her  perfect 
face  looked  very  small  and  white  and  childlike.  The 
magnificent  eyes  carried  in  their  clear,  brown  depths 
an  expression  new  to  Landless.  Heretofore  he  had 
seen  in  them  scorn  and  dislike ;  now  they  looked  at 
him  with  a  grave  and  wondering  pity. 

As  the  sun  rose,  the  shipwrecked  party  left  the 
shore,  and  entered  the  forest.  A  purple  light  filled 
its  vast  aisles.  Far  overhead  bits  of  azure  gleamed 
through  the  rifts  in  the  foliage,  but  around  them  was 
the  constant  patter  and  splash  of  rain  drops,  falling 
slow  and  heavy  from  every  leaf  and  twig.  There  was 
a  dank,  rich  smell  of  wet  mould  and  rotting  leaves, 
and  rain-bruised  fern.  The  denizens  of  the  woodland 
were  all  astir.  Birds  sang,  squirrels  chattered,  the 
insect  world  whirred  around  the  yellow  autumn  blooms 
and  the  purpling  clusters  of  the  wild  grape ;  from  out 
the  distance  came  the  barking  of  a  fox.  The  sunlight 
began  to  fall  in  shafts  of  pale  gold  through  openings 
in  the  green  and  leafy  world,  and  to  warm  the  chilled 
bodies  of  the  wayfarers. 

"  It  is  like  a  bad  dream,"  said  Patricia  gayly,  as 
Landless  held  back  a  great,  wet  branch  of  cedar  from 
her  path.  "  All  the  storm  and  darkness,  and  the 
great  hungry  waves  and  the  danger  of  death  !  Ah  ! 
how  happy  we  are  to  have  waked !  " 

Her  glance  fell  upon  Landless's  face,  and  there  came 
to  her  a  sudden  realization  that  there  were  those  in 
the  world,  to  whom  life  was  not  one  sweet,  bright 
gala  day.  She  gazed  at  him  with  troubled  eyes. 

"  I  hope  you  care  to  live,"  she  said.  "  Death  is 
very  dreadful." 

"  I  do  not  think  so,"  he  answered.  "  At  least  it 
would  be  forgetfulness." 


180  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

She  shuddered.  "  Ah  !  but  to  leave  the  world,  the 
warm,  bright,  beautiful  world  !  To  die  on  your  bed, 
when  you  are  old  —  that  is  different.  But  to  go 
young!  to  go  in  storm  and  terror,  or  in  horror  and 
struggling  as  did  that  man  who  was  murdered !  Oh, 
horrible !  " 

The  thought  of  the  murdered  man  brought  another 
thought  into  her  mind. 

"  Do  you  think,"  she  said,  "  that  we  had  better  tell 
that  we  saw  the  murderer  at  the  first  house  to  which 
we  come,  or  had  we  best  wait  until  we  reach  Verney 
Manor?" 

Landless  gave  a  great  start.  "  You  will  tell  Colo 
nel  Verney  that  ?  " 

She  opened  her  eyes  widely.  "  Why,  of  course ! 
What  else  should  we  do  ?  Is  not  the  country  being 
scoured  for  him  ?  My  father  is  most  anxious  that  he 
should  be  captured.  Justice  and  the  weal  of  the  State 
demand  that  such  a  wretch  should  be  punished."  She 
paused  and  looked  at  him  gravely  as  he  walked  beside 
her  with  a  clouded  face.  "  You  say  nothing !  This 
man  is  guilty,  guilty  of  a  dreadful  crime.  Surely  you 
do  not  wish  to  shield  him,  to  let  him  escape  ?  " 

"  Not  so,  madam,"  said  Landless  in  desperation. 
"But— but  - 

"  But  what  ?  "  she  asked  as  he  stopped  in  confusion. 

He  recovered  himself.  "Nothing,  madam.  You 
are  right,  of  course.  But  I  would  not  speak  before 
reaching  Verney  Manor." 

"  Very  well." 

Landless  walked  on,  bitterly  perplexed  and  cha 
grined.  The  strife  and  danger  of  the  night,  the  intoxi 
cating  sweetness  of  the  morning  hours  when  he  knew 
himself  believed  in  and  pitied  by  the  woman  beside 


LANDLESS  AND   PATRICIA  181 

him,  had  driven  certain  things  into  oblivion.  He  had 
been  dreaming,  and  now  he  had  been  plucked  from  a 
fool's  paradise,  and  dashed  rudely  to  the  ground.  Yes 
terday  and  the  life  and  thoughts  of  yesterday,  which 
had  but  now  seemed  so  far  away,  pressed  upon  him  re 
morselessly.  And  to-morrow !  He  did  not  want  Roach 
to  be  taken.  Always  there  would  have  been  danger 
to  himself  and  his  associates  in  the  capture  of  the 
murderer,  but  now  when  the  vindictive  wretch  would 
assuredly  attribute  his  disaster  to  the  man  to  whom 
the  lightning  flash  had  revealed  his  presence  on  the 
shores  of  the  bay,  the  danger  was  trebled.  And  it 
was  imminent.  He  had  little  doubt  that  another  night 
would  see  lloach  in  custody,  and  he  had  no  doubt  at 
all  that  the  scoundrel  would  make  a  desperate  effort 
to  save  his  neck  by  betraying  what  he  knew  of  the 
conspiracy  —  and  thanks  to  Godwyn's  lists  he  knew  a 
great  deal  —  to  Governor  and  Council. 

Patricia  began  to  speak  again.  "  It  imports  much 
that  men  should  see  that  there  is  no  weakness  in  the 
arm  the  law  stretches  out  to  seize  and  punish  offend 
ers.  My  father  and  the  Governor  and  Colonel  Lud- 
low  believe  that  there  is  afoot  an  Oliverian  plot  — 
What  is  the  matter?" 

"  Nothing,  madam." 

"  You  stood  still  and  caught  your  breath.  Are  you 
ill,  faint  ?  " 

"  It  is  nothing,  madam,  believe  me  ?  You  were 
saying?" 

"  Oh  !  the  Oliverians  !  Nothing  definite  has  been 
discovered  as  yet,  but  there  is  thunder  in  the  air,  my 
father  says,  and  I  know  that  he  and  the  Governor  and 
the  rest  of  the  council  are  very  watchful  just  now. 
But  yesterday  my  father  said  that  those  few  hundred 


182  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

men  form  a  greater  menace  to  the  Colony  than  do  all 
the  Indians  between  this  and  the  South  Sea." 

They  walked  on  in  silence  for  a  few  moments,  and 
then  she  broke  out.  "  They  are  horrible,  those  grim, 
frowning  men  !  They  are  rebels  and  traitors,  one  and 
all,  and  yet  they  stand  by  and  shake  curses  on  the 
heads  of  true  men.  They  slew  the  best  man,  the  most 
gracious  sovereign ;  they  trampled  the  Church  under 
foot,  they  made  the  blood  of  the  noble  and  the  good 
to  flow  like  water,  and  now  when  they  receive  a  por 
tion  of  their  deserts,  they  call  themselves  martyrs ! 
They,  martyrs  !  Roundhead  traitors  !  " 

"  Madam,"  interrupted  Landless  with  a  curious 
smile  upon  his  lips,  "  did  you  not  know  that  I  was, 
that  I  am,  what  you  call  a  Roundhead  ?  " 

"No,"  she  said,  "  I  did  not  know,"  and  stood  per 
fectly  still,  looking  straight  before  her  down  the  long 
vista  of  trees.  He  saw  her  face  change  and  harden 
into  the  old  expression  of  aversion.  The  slaves  came 
up  to  them,  and  Regulus  asked  if  'lil  Missy  wanted 
anything.  "  No,  nothing  at  all,"  she  answered,  and 
walked  quietly  onward. 

Landless,  an  angry  pain  tugging  at  his  heart,  kept 
beside  her,  for  they  were  passing  through  a  deep  hol 
low  in  the  wood  where  the  gnarled  and  protruding 
roots  of  cypress  and  juniper  made  walking  difficult, 
and  where  a  strong  hand  was  needed  to  push  aside  the 
wet  and  pendent  masses  of  vine.  Regulus,  fifty  yards 
behind  them,  began  to  sing  a  familiar  broadside  bal 
lad,  torturing  the  words  out  of  all  resemblance  to 
English.  The  rich  notes  rang  sweetly  through  the 
forest.  Down  from  the  far  summit  of  a  pine  flashed 
a  cardinal  bird,  piercing  the  gloom  of  the  hollow  like 
a  fire  ball  thrown  into  a  cavern.  Landless  held  aside 


LANDLESS   AND   PATRICIA  183 

a  curtain  of  glistening  leaves  that,  mingled  with  pur 
ple  clusters  of  fruit,  hung  across  their  path.  Patricia 
passed  him,  then  turned  impulsively.  "  You  think  me 
hard !  "  she  said.  "  Many  people  think  me  so,  but  I 
am  not  so,  indeed.  .  .  .  And  there  are  good  Puritans. 
Major  Carrington,  they  say,  is  Puritan  at  heart,  and 
he  is  a  good  man  and  a  gentleman.  .  .  .  And  you 
saved  my  life.  ...  At  least  you  are  not  like  those 
men  of  whom  I  spoke.  You  would  not  plot  against 
the  good  peace  which  we  enjoy !  You  would  not  try 
to  array  servant  against  master?" 

It  was  a  direct  question  asked  with  large,  straight 
forward  eyes  fixed  upon  his.  He  tried  to  evade  it, 
but  she  asked  again  with  insistence,  and  with  a  fain 
doubt  lurking  in  her  eyes,  "  If  these  men  are  plotting, 
which  God  forbid !  you  know  nothing  of  it  ?  You 
have  great  wrongs,  but  you  would  take  no  such  das 
tard  way  to  right  them  ?  " 

Landless's  soul  writhed  within  him,  but  he  told  the 
inevitable  lie  that  was  none  the  less  a  lie  that  it  was 
also  the  truth.  He  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  trust, 
madam,  that  I  will  do  naught  that  may  misbecome  a 
gentleman." 

She  was  quite  satisfied.  He  saw  that  he  had  re 
gained  the  ground  lost  by  his  avowal  of  a  few  minutes 
before,  and  he  cursed  himself  and  cursed  his  fate. 

Soon  afterwards  they  emerged  from  the  forest  upon 
a  tobacco  patch,  from  the  midst  of  which  rose  a  rude 
cabin,  in  whose  doorway  stood  a  woman  serving  out 
bowls  of  loblolly  to  half  a  dozen  tow-headed  children. 

Half  an  hour  later,  Patricia,  rested  and  refreshed, 
took  her  seat  behind  the  oxen,  which  the  owner  of  the 
cabin  had  harnessed  up,  with  much  protestation  of  his 
eagerness  to  serve  the  daughter  of  Colonel  Verney, 


184  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

emptied  her  purse  in  the  midst  of  the  open-mouthed 
children,  and  bade  kindly  adieu  to  the  good  wife. 
Darkeih  curled  herself  up  in  the  bottom  of  the  cart, 
and  Landless  and  Regulus  walked  beside  it. 

In  two  hours'  time  they  were  at  Verney  Manor, 
where  they  found  none  but  women  to  greet  them. 
Rendered  uneasy  by  the  storm,  "Wooclson  had  de 
spatched  a  messenger  to  Rosemead,  who  had  returned 
with  the  tidings  that  no  boat  from  Verney  Manor  had 
reached  that  plantation.  The  overseer  had  ill  news 
with  which  to  greet  the  Colonel  and  Sir  Charles  when 
at  midnight  they  arrived  unexpectedly  from  Green 
Spring.  Since  then  every  able-bodied  man  had  de 
serted  the  plantation.  There  were  no  boats  at  the 
wharf,  no  horses  in  the  stables.  The  master  and  Sir 
Charles  were  gone  in  the  Nancy,  the  two  overseers 
on  horseback.  A  Sabbath  stillness  brooded  over  the 
plantation,  until  a  negro  woman  recognized  the  occu 
pants  of  the  ox-cart  lumbering  up  the  road.  Then 
there  was  noise  enough  of  an  exclamatory,  feminine 
kind.  The  shrill  sounds  penetrated  to  the  great 
room,  where,  behind  drawn  curtains,  surrounded  by 
essences,  and  an  odor  of  burnt  feathers,  with  Chloe  to 
fan  her,  and  Mr.  Frederick  Jones  to  murmur  'consola 
tion,  reclined  Mistress  Lettice.  As  Patricia  stepped 
upon  the  porch,  Betty  Carrington  flew  down  the  stairs 
and  through  the  hall,  and  the  two  met  with  a  little 
inarticulate  burst  of  cries  and  kisses.  Mistress  Let 
tice  in  the  great  room  went  into  hysterics  for  the 
fifth  time  that  morning. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

A  CAPTURE 

AT  noon  the  next  day  returned  the  search  party, 
dispatched  by  the  Colonel  on  receipt  of  his  daughter's 
information,  and  headed  by  Woodson  and  Sir  Charles 
Carew.  In  their  midst,  bound  with  ropes,  and  seated 
behind  one  of  the  mounted  men,  was  Roach.  His 
clothing  hung  from  him  in  tatters,  and  witnessed, 
moreover,  to  the  quagmires  and  mantled  pools  through 
which  he  had  struggled ;  his  arm  had  been  injured,  and 
was  tied  with  a  bloody  rag  ;  blood  was  caked  upon 
his  villainous  face,  scratched  and  torn  in  his  breath 
less  bursting  through  thickets ;  his  red  hair  fell  over 
his  eyes  in  matted  elf-locks ;  his  lips  were  drawn  back 
in  a  snarl  over  discolored  fangs  ;  he  panted  like  a  dog, 
his  thick  red  tongue  hanging  out.  He  looked  hardly 
human.  The  man  behind  whom  he  rode  was  Luiz 
Sebastian. 

The  party  dismounted  in  the  small  square,  in  the 
midst  of  the  quarters.  It  being  the  noon  rest,  the 
entire  servant  population  was  on  hand,  and  leaving  its 
cabins  and  smoking  messes  of  bacon  and  succotash, 
it  hastened  to  a  man  to  the  square,  where,  beneath 
the  dead  tree  and  its  sinister  appendage,  stood  the 
master,  listening  to  Woodson's  account  of  the  cap 
ture,  and  to  Sir  Charles's  airy  interpolations.  Roach, 
dragged  from  the  horse  by  a  dozen  officious  hands, 
staggered  with  exhaustion.  Luiz  Sebastian  caught 


186  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

him  by  the  arm  and  so  held  him  during  the  ensuing 
interview. 

When  the  unusual  bustle,  the  neighing  of  the 
horses,  and  the  excited  voices  of  the  crowd  brought 
the  news  of  the  capture  to  Landless,  sitting,  sunk  in 
anxious  thought,  within  his  cabin,  he  rose  and  began 
to  pace  to  and  fro  in  the  narrow  room.  Past  his  door 
hurried  men,  women  and  children  on  their  way  to  the 
square.  One  or  two  beckoned  him  to  follow,  but  he 
shook  his  head.  "  If  he  betray  me,"  he  thought, 
"  my  fate  will  come  to  me  soon  enough.  I  will  not 
go  to  meet  it." 

In  his  restless  pacing  to  and  fro,  he  stopped  before 
a  shelf  where,  beside  some  coarse  eating  utensils  and 
the  heap  of  tobacco  pegs,  the  cutting  of  which  occu 
pied  his  spare  moments,  lay  a  little  worn  book.  It 
had  been  Godwyn's.  He  opened  it  at  random,  and 
read  a  few  verses.  With  a  heavy  sigh  he  laid  his 
arm  along  the  shelf  and  rested  his  burning  forehead 
upon  it.  " '  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,'  "  he 
said  beneath  his  breath ;  and  again,  "  '  Let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled.'  '  He  recommenced  his  pacing  up 
and  down  the  room.  "  '  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  My 
peace  I  give  unto  you.'  "  Going  to  the  doorway  he 
leaned  against  it  and  looked  out  into  a  world  of  sun 
shine,  and  up  to  where  the  topmost  branches  of  a 
pine  slept  against  the  blue.  "  There  may  be  peace 
beyond,"  he  said.  "  I  have  not  found  it  here." 

Down  the  lane  came  a  murmur  of  voices  ;  then  the 
overseer's  harsh  tones ;  then  a  light  and  mocking 
laugh.  Seized  by  an  uncontrollable  impulse  he  left 
the  cabin  and  directed  his  steps  towards  the  square. 
As  he  passed  a  cabin  some  doors  from  his  own,  a 
gaunt  figure  arose  from  the  doorstep  and  joined  itself 
to  him. 


A  CAPTURE  187 

"  The  murderer  is  here,"  said  the  sepulchral  voice 
of  Master  AVin-Grace  Porringer.  "  Verily  the  blood 
hath  been  taken  out  of  his  mouth,  and  his  abomina 
tions  from  between  his  teeth.  Cursed  be  the  shedder 
of  innocent  blood  !  " 

"Amen,"  said  Landless,  then.  "This  capture  is 
like  to  be  our  ruin.  This  wretch  will  not  keep  si 
lence." 

"  But  he  has  no  proofs.  Since  you  destroyed  those 
lists  there  exists  not  a  scrap  of  writing  about  this 
affair.  And  we  have  covered  our  tracks  as  carefully 
as  if  we  were  the  cursed  heathen  of  the  land  upon  the 
war-path.  Let  him  say  what  he  will.  The  Malig- 
nants,  besotted  fools !  will  think  he  lies  to  save  his 
neck." 

"  A  week  ago  they  might  have  thought  so,"  said 
Landless.  "  But  not  now.  Something  has  gotten 
abroad.  Already  Governor  and  Council  think  they 
smell  a  plot." 

The  Muggletonian  caught  his  breath.  "  How  do 
you  know  this  ?  " 

"  No  matter  how :  I  know  it." 

Porringer  raised  his  scarred  face  to  heaven.  "  God," 
he  said,  "  we  are  thy  people !  Save  us !  Let  destruc 
tion  come  upon  them  unawares ;  let  them  go  down  a 
dark  and  slippery  way  to  death ;  make  them  to  be 
as  blind  and  deaf  adders  that  see  not  the  foot  of  the 
destroyer  !  Yea,  shake  thy  hand  upon  these  Malig- 
nants  and  make  them  a  spoil  to  their  servants  !  "  He 
turned  his  ghastly  face  and  burning  eyes  upon  Land 
less.  "  Curse  them  with  me  !  "  he  cried. 

Landless  shook  his  head.  "  Thou  and  I  look  not 
alike  at  things,  friend,"  he  said. 

"  Thou  art  a  Laodicean  !  "  cried  the  other  wildly. 


188  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  Thou  hast  not  an  eye  single  to  the  Lord's  work  as 
had  thy  father  before  thee.  Thou  wpuldst  not  smite 
the  Amalekites  hip  and  thigh,  root  and  branch  !  One 
damsel  would  thou  save  alive,  and  for  her  sake  thy 
heart  is  soft  towards  the  whole  accursed  brood  !  Look 
to  it  lest  the  Lord  spew  thee  out  of  His  mouth  !  Woe. 
woe,  to  him  that  putteth  his  hand  to  the  plough  and 
looketh  back ! "  He  laughed  wildly  and  tossed  out 
his  arms. 

"  I  think  thou  hast  eaten  of  the  Jamestown  weed  !  " 
said  Landless  fiercely.  "  Collect  thy  senses,  man ! 
And  speak  something  less  loudly,  or  Roach's  betrayal 
will  be  superfluous.  As  to  myself,  if  I  curse  not,  I 
act ;  and  as  for  my  motives  for  what  you  call  luke- 
warmness,  and  I  call  common  humanity,  you  will 
please  to  let  them  alone.!  " 

The  excitement  faded  from  the  fanatic's  face,  and 
he  said  more  quietly,  "  You  are  right,  friend.  I  was 
mad  for  a  moment,  mad  to  see  that  freedom  which  is 
so  near  us  so  imperiled.  I  meant  not  to  quarrel 
with  you  who  have  shown  in  the  conduct  of  this  work 
the  discernment  of  a  young  Daniel,  yea,  who  have  so 
borne  yourself,  that  I  have  grown  to  care  for  you  as 
I  never  thought  to  care  again  for  human  being.  I 
have  prayed  much  that  you  should  be  brought  from 
the  twilight  of  Calvinism  into  the  pure  light  wherein 
walk  the  disciples  of  the  blessed  Ludovick." 

They  reached  the  square  and  mingled  with  the 
motly  crowd  that  lined  its  sides,  leaving  the  centre 
occupied  only  by  the  murderer,  his  captors,  and  the 
master.  Followed  by  the  Muggletonian,  Landless 
made  his  way  to  where  the  yellow  locks  of  young 
Dick  Whittington  towered  above  the  crowd.  The  boy 
saw  him  coming,  and  edging  past  a  knot  of  blacks. 


A  CAPTURE  189 

met  him  in  a  little  open  space,  whose  only  occupants 
were  two  or  three  women,  and  an  Indian  squatting 
upon  the  ground.  Leaning  against  a  pine,  and  fixing 
his  gaze  and,  to  all  appearance,  his  attention  upon  the 
central  group  where  the  overseer  was  just  finishing 
a  circumstantial  account  of  the  chase,  Landless  said 
quietly :  — 

"  You  were  of  the  party  that  took  him  ?  " 
"  That  I  was ! "  answered  the  boy  gleefully. 
"  Losh  !  but  it  was  fun  !  "  His  blue  eyes  danced  with 
impish  delight ;  a  noiseless  laugh  showed  all  his  strong 
white  teeth.  "  We  went  straight  to  the  spot  where 
you  and  Mistress  Patricia  saw  him  by  the  lightning. 
There  the  dogs  struck  his  trail  and  the  fun  com 
menced.  Over  streams  and  fallen  trees,  and  chinque- 
pin  ridges ;  through  bogs  and  myrtle  thickets  and 
miles  of  grape  vines  —  swounds !  but  it  was  hot  work ! 
Just  look  at  the  scratches  on  my  face  and  hands ! 
Joyce  Whitbread  would  n't  know  me  !  The  Court 
spark,  he  wore  a  mask  and  saved  his  beauty.  He 's 
a  well-plucked  one,  though,  took  the  lead  and  kept 
it,  and  when  it  was  over,  treated  us  to  usquebaugh 
at  Luckey  Doughty's  store.  Well,  we  run  the  fox  to 
earth  in  a  Chickahominy  village.  Lord  !  I  'm  sorry 
for  the  half  king  of  the  Chickahominies !  He  '11  have 
to  answer  to  Governor  and  Council  for  letting  red 
fox  burrow  in  his  village.  Found  him  squatted  in  a 
sassafras  patch.  Snarled  and  fought  and  tried  to  bite 
like  the  beast  he  is.  Woodson  and  the  Court  spark 
took  him." 

"  Do  you  know  what  will  be  done  with  him  now?" 
"  He  '11  be  taken  on  to  the  gaol  at  the  court-house." 
"  That  is  five  miles  from  here,"  said  Landless. 
"  Yes,  near  to  the  village  where  we  took  him.    He  '11 


190  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

be  kept  there  until  they  can  try  him.  And  they  '11 
make  short  work  of  him.  He  '11  be  food  for  crows 
directly." 

The  throng  pressed  upon  them,  forcing  them  nearer 
to  the  group  beneath  the  dead  tree.  The  overseer 
had  finished  his  account,  and  the  master  was  clearing 
his  throat  to  speak.  Landless  found  himself  upon  the 
inner  verge  of  the  mass  of  spectators,  directly  opposite 
the  murderer,  and  confronted  by  him  with  a  look  so 
dark,  wild  and  malignant,  that  he  could  not  doubt  the 
intention  that  lay  behind  those  scowling  eyes.  Luiz 
Sebastian,  still  with  the  murderer's  arm  in  his  grasp, 
gave  him  a  peculiar  look  which  he  could  not  translate. 
In  the  background  he  saw  Trail's  sinister  face  peering 
over  the  shoulder  of  an  Indian. 

"  You  dog  !  "  said  the  planter,  addressing  himself 
directly  to  Roach.  "  What  have  you  to  say  for  your 
self?" 

The  murderer  made  an  uncertain  sound  with  his 
dry  lips,  and  his  bloodshot  eyes  roamed  around  the 
circle  from  one  staring  face  to  another,  until  they  re 
turned  to  rest  upon  the  watchful,  amber-hued  counte 
nance  beside  him. 

"  Speak !  "  said  his  master  sternly. 

"  I  '11  say  nothing,"  was  the  dogged  reply,  "  until 
I  stands  my  trial.  I  demands  a  fair  trial." 

"  Remember  that  this  is  your  last  chance  to  speak 
to  me,  to  speak  to  any  one  in  authority  before  you  are 
tried.  Of  course  you  will  hang  for  this.  Have  you 
anything  to  say?  Do  you  wish  to  speak  to  me  in 
private  ?  " 

The  murderer  raised  his  head,  and  shaking  the 
tangled  hair  from  about  his  face,  cast  at  Landless, 
standing  ten  paces  beyond  the  planter,  such  a  look  of 


A   CAPTURE  191 

deadly  and  blasting  hatred,  that  for  a  moment  the 
blood  ran  cold  in  the  young  man's  veins.  He  set  his 
teeth  and  braced  himself  to  meet  the  blow  at  plans 
and  hopes  and  life  that  should  follow  such  a  look. 

To  his  astonishment  the  blow  did  not  fall.  Roach 
changed  the  basilisk  gaze  with  which  he  had  regarded 
him  to  a  vacant  stare. 

"  I  've  naught  to  say,"  he  whined,  "  except  that  I 
hopes  your  honor  will  see  that  I  has  a  fair  trial  —  no 
d — d  Tyburn  or  Newgate  hocus-pocussing." 

The  master  beckoned  to  the  overseer.  "  Take  him 
away,"  he  said.  "  Take  two  or  three  men  and  carry 
him  on  to  the  gaol." 

He  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked  to  where  Sir 
Charles  Carew  leaned  against  a  tree,  idly  flicking  the 
mud  from  his  boots  with  his  riding  cane.  Landless 
standing  near  and  listening  with  strained  ears  heard 
the  master  say  in  answer  to  the  other's  lifted  brows :  — 

"  Nothing  to  be  learnt  in  that  quarter.  If  there  's 
rebellion  brewing,  he  knows  nothing  of  it." 

Fresh  horses  were  brought  from  the  stables.  "  You, 
Luiz  Sebastian,  Taylor,  and  Mathew,"  said  the  over 
seer,  swinging  himself  into  the  saddle.  The  men 
designated  mounted,  and  Roach,  bound  and  scowling, 
was  hoisted  to  his  former  seat  behind  Luiz  Sebastian. 
The  cavalcade  started.  As  the  horse  that  bore  the 
double  load  passed  Landless,  the  murderer  twisted 
himself  about  in  his  seat,  and,  with  a  venomous  look, 
spat  at  him.  Luiz  Sebastian  smiled  evilly. 

The  shaven  head  and  fleshless  face  of  Win-Grace 
Porringer  protruded  themselves  over  Landless's  shoul 
der. 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?  "  he  muttered. 

"  God  knows,"   answered   the  other.       "  Come    to 


192  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

the  trysting  place  to-night.  We  must  act,  and  act 
quickly." 

That  night  ten  men  met  in  the  deserted  hut  on  the 
marsh,  having  stolen  with  the  caution  of  Indians  from 
their  respective  plantations.  Five  were  men  who  had 
fought  at  Edgehill  and  Naseby  and  Worcester,  or  had 
followed  Cromwell  through  the  breach  at  Drogheda. 
Four  were  victims  of  the  Act  of  Uniformity ;  darker, 
sterner,  more  determined  if  possible,  than  the  veterans 
of  the  New  Model.  The  tenth  man  was  Landless. 
When,  late  at  night,  he  and  Porringer  crept  stealthily 
back  to  the  quarters,  it  was  with  the  conviction  that 
this  was  the  last  time  they  should  so  steal  through  the 
darkness.  The  date  of  the  rising  had  been  fixed  for 
the  thirteenth  of  September  ;  this  night,  by  Landless's 
advice,  it  was  brought  forward  to  the  tenth  —  and  it 
was  now  the  sixth. 

Groping  his  way  past  the  slumbering  forms  of  the 
three  other  occupants  of  his  cabin,  Landless  threw 
himself  down  upon  his  pallet  with  a  heavy  sigh. 

"  Liberty !  "  he  said  beneath  his  breath.  "  God 
dess,  whom  I  and  mine  have  sought  through  long 
years,  whom  once  we  thought  we  held,  and  waked  to 
find  thee  gone,  —  once  I  thought  thee  fairer  than 
aught  beside ;  thought  no  price  too  great  to  pay  for 
thee.  But  now !  " 

He  hid  his  face  in  his  hands  with  a  stifled  groan. 
When  at  length  he  fell  into  a  troubled  sleep,  it  was 
to  see  again  a  storm-tossed  boat,  and  a  woman's  face, 
set  like  a  star  against  the  blackness  of  the  night. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE    LIBRARY    OF   THE    SURVEYOR-GENERAL 

AT  a  long,  low  table  stood  Mistress  Betty  Carring- 
ton,  her  slender  figure  enveloped  in  an  apron  of  blue 
dowlas,  her  sleeves  of  fine  holland  rolled  above  her 
elbows,  and  her  white  and  rounded  arms  plunged  deep 
into  a  great  bowl  filled  with  the  purple  globes  of  the 
wild  grape.  A  row  of  children  knelt  on  the  brick 
floor  at  her  feet,  busily  stripping  the  fruit  from  the 
stems,  and  negresses,  hard  by,  strained  with  sinewy 
hands  the  crimson  juice  from  the  pulpy  mass  into  jars 
of  earthenware.  To  this  group  suddenly  entered  a 
breathless  urchin. 

"  Ohe,  mistis  !  de  Gov'nor  an'  Massa  Peyton  comin' 
up  de  road !  " 

Betty  suspended  her  operations  with  a  little  cry. 
"  The  Governor !  "  she  exclaimed  in  dismay.  "  And 
my  father  is  gone  a-processioning ;  —  and  my  gown  is 
not  seemly ;  —  and  he  cannot  be  kept  waiting !  "  She 
threw  off  her  apron,  dipped  her  hands  into  the  water 
the  slaves  poured  for  her,  and  was  at  the  hall  door  in 
time  to  courtesy  to  the  Governor,  as,  followed  by  a 
groom,  and  attended  by  Mr.  Peyton,  he  rode  up  to 
the  house. 

With  the  agility  of  youth  his  Excellency  sprung 
from  his  horse,  threw  the  reins  to  the  groom,  and 
advanced  to  greet  the  lady.  A  richly  laced  riding- 
suit  became  his  still  slight  and  elegant  figure  to  a 


194  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

marvel ;  his  gilt-spurred,  Spanish  leather  boots  were 
of  the  newest,  most  approved  cut ;  his  periwig  was 
fresh  curled,  and  framed  with  distinction  a  handsome, 
if  somewhat  withered,  countenance.  He  doffed  his 
Spanish  hat  with  a  bow  and  flourish  :  Betty  courtesied 
profoundly. 

"  Welcome  to  Rosemead,  your  Excellency." 

"  I  greet  you  well,  pretty  Mistress  Betty,"  said  the 
Governor,  and  took  a  governor's  privilege.  Mr.  Pey 
ton  looked  as  though  he  would  have  liked  to  follow 
his  Excellency's  example,  but  was  fain  to  content 
himself  with  the  lady's  hand,  resigned  to  the  respect 
ful  pressure  of  his  lips  with  a  charming  blush  and  a 
dropping  of  long-fringed  eyelids. 

"Where  is  your  father,  sweetheart?"  demanded 
the  Governor. 

"  Ah !  your  Excellency,  he  is  unfortunate.  The 
vestry  hath  appointed  this  day  for  the  examination  of 
boundaries  in  this  parish,  and  as  his  Majesty's  Sur 
veyor-General  he  leads  the  procession.  But  will  not 
your  Excellency  await  his  return  ?  He  will  be  here 
anon,  and  with  him  Colonel  Verney." 

"  Then  will  I  wait,  pretty  one  ;  for  I  have  weighty 
matters  to  discuss  both  with  him  and  with  Dick  Ver- 
ney." 

Betty  ushered  them  into  the  great  room,  cool,  dark, 
and  fragrant  of  roses. 

"  If  your  Excellency  will  permit  me  to  withdraw,  I 
will  order  some  refreshment  for  you  after  your  long 
ride." 

The  Governor  sank  into  an  armchair,  and  smiled 
graciously. 

"  Faith !  a  bit  of  pasty  comes  not  amiss  after  a 
morning  canter.  And  prithee  see  to  the  sack  thyself, 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL    195 

Mistress  Betty.  And  a  dish  of  pippins  and  cheese," 
continued  the  Governor,  meditatively,  "  and  a  rasher 
of  bacon." 

*'  There  was  a  fine  comb  taken  from  the  hive  this 
morning.  Will  your  Excellency  choose  a  bit  ?  And 
there  are  dates,  sent  my  father  by  the  captain  of  the 
Barbary  vessel,  and  a  quince  tart  — 

"  We  will  taste  of  it  all,"  said  his  Excellency,  gra 
ciously,  "  and  afterwards  a  pipe  and  a  saucer  of  sweet 
scented,  and  your  company,  my  love.  Mr.  Peyton,  the 
lady  may  find  the  honeycomb  too  heavy  for  her  lift 
ing.  We  will  excuse  you  to  her  assistance." 

"  I  am  your  Excellency's  most  obedient  servant," 
quoth  Mr.  Peyton  with  due  submission,  and  hastened 
after  his  blushing  mistress. 

The  Governor,  left  alone,  strolled  to  the  window 
and  looked  out  upon  the  Chesapeake,  lying  blue  and 
unruffled  beneath  the  dazzling  sunshine ;  to  the  man 
tel-piece,  and  smelt  of  the  roses  in  the  blue  china 
bowl ;  to  the  spinet,  and  picked  out  "  Here  's  to  Royal 
Charles  "  with  one  finger ;  —  and  finally  brought  up 
before  a  corner  cupboard,  found  the  key  in  the  door, 
turned  it,  and  came  upon  the  Surveyor-General's 
library. 

"  H'm,  what  has  he  here  ? "  soliloquized  his  Ex 
cellency.  "  '  Purchas  ;  His  Pilgrimes,'  of  course  ; 
'  General  History  of  Virginia,  New  England  and  the 
Summer  Isles,'  well  and  good ;  '  Good  News  from 
Virginia,'  humph  !  that  must  have  been  before  my 
time;  '  Public  Good  without  Private  Interest,'  humph! 
What 's  this  ?  '  Areopagitica,'  John  Milton  !  John 
Hypocrite  and  Parricide !  A  pretty  author,  and  a 
pretty  cause  he  advocates,  —  I  thank  God  there  are 
no  schools  and  no  printing  presses  in  this  colony,  nor 


196  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

are  like  to  be, —  and  a  courageous  Surveyor-General 
to  keep  by  him  such  pestilent  stuff  in  the  present  year 
of  grace.  '  Abuses  Stript  and  Whipt,'  '  Anglia  Re- 
diva,'  '  Diary  of  Nehemiah  Wellington,'  '  Bast- 
wick's  Litany ! '  Miles  Carrington,  Miles  Carring- 
ton !  I  have  my  eye  on  thee !  Thou  hadst  need  to 
walk  warily  !  '  Zion's  Plea  against  Prelacy,'  damna 
tion!  'Speech  of  Mr.  Hampden,"  death  and  hell! 
'  Eikonoklastes,'  may  the  foul  fiend  fly  away  with  my 
soul ! " 

And  the  Governor  closed  the  cupboard  door  with  a 
bang,  and,  with  a  very  red  and  frowning  face,  went 
back  to  his  seat,  and  there  sank  into  a  reverie,  which 
lasted  until  the  entrance  of  Mistress  Betty  and  Mr. 
Peyton,  followed  by  two  slaves  bearing  an  ample  re 
past. 

An  hour  later  came  home  the  Surveyor-General, 
bringing  with  him  Colonel  Verney,  Sir  Charles  Carew, 
and  Captain  Laramore. 

The  Surveyor-General  made  stately  apologies  to  his 
Excellency  for  his  unavoidable  absence :  his  Excel 
lency,  holding  himself  very  erect,  heard  him  out,  anfl 
then  said  coldly,  "  Major  Carrington  may  rest  at  ease. 
I  was  sufficiently  amused." 

"  Truly  the  county  knows  Mr.  Peyton's  powers  of 
entertainment,"  said  the  Surveyor-General  with  a  bow 
and  smile  for  that  young  gentleman. 

"  Mr.  Peyton  had  other  occupation,"  said  the  Gov 
ernor  dryly.  "  And  I  fear  that  his  is  too  cavalier  a 
wit,  and  that  his  sonnets  and  madrigals  savor  too 
much  of  loyalty  to  the  Anointed  of  the  Lord  and  to 
His  Church  to  have  proved  acceptable  to  the  worship 
ful  company  with  whom  I  have  been  engaged.  I 
have  to  congratulate  his  Majesty's  Surveyor-General 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL     197 

on  the  possession  of  such  a  library  as,  I  dare  swear, 
is  to  be  found  in  no  other  house  in  this,  his  Majesty's 
loyal  dominion  of  Virginia." 

Carrington  glanced  towards  the  cupboard,  and  bit 
his  lip. 

"  I  am  pleased,"  he  said  stiffly,  "  that  your  Excel 
lency  hath  found  wherewithal  to  pass  an  idle  hour." 

"  It  is,  indeed,  a  choice  collection,"  said  the  Gov 
ernor,  with  a  smooth  tongue,  but  with  an  angry  light 
in  his  eyes.  "  May  I  ask  by  whom  it  was  chosen ; 
who  it  was  that  so  carefully  culled  nightshade  and 
poison  oak?  " 

"  I  choose  my  own  reading,"  said  Carrington 
haughtily.  "  And  I  see  not  why  Sir  William  Berke 
ley  should  concern  himself  — 

"  This  passes  !  "  exclaimed  the  Governor,  giving 
rein  to  his  fury  and  striking  his  hand  against  the 
table.  "  It  doth  concern  me  much,  Major  Carring 
ton,  both  as  a  true  man,  and  as  the  Governor  of  this 
Colony,  the  representative  of  his  blessed  Majesty, 
King  Charles  the  Second,  may  all  whose  enemies,  pri 
vate  and  open,  be  confounded !  that  a  gentleman  who 
holds  a  high  office  in  this  Colony  should  have  in  his 
possession  —  ay  !  and  read,  too,  for  't  is  a  well-thumbed 
copy  —  that  foul  emanation  from  a  fouler  mind,  that 
malicious,  outrageous,  damnable,  proscribed  book, 
called  '  Eikonoklastes  ! '  " 

"If  Sir  William  Berkeley  doubts  my  loyalty — " 
began  Carrington  fiercely. 

"  Major  Carrington,  you  are  too  popular  a  man  !  " 
broke  in  the  Governor  as  fiercely.  "  When,  upon 
that  black  day,  ten  years  ago,  the  usurper's  frigates 
entered  the  Chesapeake,  and  taking  us  unprepared, 
compelled  (God  forgive  me !)  my  submission,  who 


198  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

but  Miles  Carrington  welcomed  and  entertained  the 
four  commissioners  (commissioners  from  a  Round 
head  Parliament  to  a  King's  Governor  !)  ?  Who  but 
Miles  Carrington  was  hand  in  glove  with  the  shop 
keeper  Bennett  and  the  renegade  Matthews  ?  Oh  ! 
they  used  their  power  mildly,  I  deny  it  not !  They 
were  gracious  and  long-suffering ;  they  left  to  the 
loyal  gentlemen,  their  sometime  friends,  life  and 
lands;  they  contented  themselves  with  banishing  a 
loyal  Governor  to  his  own  manor-house,  and  not,  as 
they  might  have  done,  to  the  wilderness,  to  perish 
amongst  the  savages.  O,  they  were  exemplary  despots  ! 
What,  when  a  turn  of  Fortune's  wheel  brought  them 
up,  could  grateful,  loyal  gentlemen,  could  a  grate 
ful  King's  Governor  do,  but  follow  the  example  set 
them  and  be  civil  to  the  officers  of  the  late  Com 
monwealth,  and  something  more  than  civil  to  the 
gentleman  who  so  gracefully  avowed  that  he  had  but 
bowed  to  the  times,  and  that  the  restored  sovereign 
had  no  more  faithful  subject  than  he?  When  his 
Majesty  was  graciously  pleased  to  continue  that 
gentleman  (at  the  solicitation  of  his  loyal  kindred  at 
home)  in  the  office  of  Surveyor-General  to  this  colony, 
sure,  we  all  rejoiced.  It  is  not  with  the  past  of  Major 
Carrington  that  I  quarrel ;  it  is  with  the  present.  In 
his  case,  that  which  should  speak  loudest  for  his 
recovered  loyalty  is  wanting.  Others  there  are  who 
have  that  witness.  Let  Mr.  Digges  ride  abroad,  and 
from  his  cabin-door  some  prick-eared  cur  cried  out, 
'  Renegade !  '  (Pardon  me,  the  word  is  not  mine.) 
The  Oliverian  and  schismatic  servants  spit  at  him. 
Is  it  so  with  Major  Carrington  ?  By  G — d,  no ! 
These  people  uncover  to  him  as  though  he  were  the 
arch  rebel  himself.  Speak  of  his  Majesty's  Surveyor- 


THE   LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL     199 

General  before  an  Oliverian,  and  the  fellow  pricks  up 
his  ears  like  a  charger  that  scents  the  battle.  Nay,  I 
am  told  that  in  their  conventicles  the  schismatics  pray 
for  him,  that  he  may  be  brought  back  into  the  fold, 
and  may  become  a  second  Moses,  and  lead  them  out 
of  Egypt !  Even  the  Quakers  have  a  good  word  for 
him.  Major  Carrington  asks  me  if  I  question  his 
loyalty.  I  answer  that  I  know  not,  but  I  do  know 
that  the  discontented  and  mutinous  of  the  land  do 
look  upon  him  with  too  favorable  a  regard.  And  his 
loyalty  is  of  that  tender  age  that  it  may  well  be  sus 
ceptible  to  the  influence  of  the  evil  eye."  The  Gov 
ernor,  who  was  now  in  a  white  heat  of  passion,  stopped 
for  breath. 

"  Sir  William  Berkeley,  you  shall  answer  to  me  for 
this  !  "  said  the  Surveyor-General,  with  white  lips. 

"  With  all  the  pleasure  in  life,"  said  the  Governor, 
clapping  his  hand  to  his  rapier. 

Carrington  folded  his  arms.  "  Not  now,"  he  said, 
with  stern  courtesy.  "  I  believe  your  Excellency  sleeps 
at  Verney  Manor  ?  I,  too,  am  invited  thither. 
There,  and  it  please  you,  we  will  adjust  our  little  differ 
ence.  For  the  present,  you  are  my  guest." 

The  Governor  choked  down  his  passion,  though  with 
difficulty.  "  Till  to-night  then  —  "  he  began,  when 
Colonel  Verney  interposed. 

"Neither  to-night,  nor  at  any  other  time,"  he  said 
sturdily.  "  Gadzooks  !  have  not  his  Majesty's  servants 
enough  on  hand  without  employing  their  time  in  pink 
ing  one  another  ?  Here  are  the  Chickahominies  res 
tive,  and  those  plaguy  Ricahecrians  amongst  us,  and 
the  Nansemond  Independents  prophesying  the  end  of 
the  world,  and  the  witches'  trial  coming  on,  and  the 
Quakers  to  be  routed  out,  and  on  top  of  it  all  this 


200  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

story  that  Ludlow  brings  of  a  redemptioner's  asser 
tion  that  there  is  afoot  an  Oliverian  plot.  And  his 
Majesty's  Governor,  and  his  Majesty's  Surveyor-Gen 
eral  with  drawn  rapiers  !  For  shame,  gentlemen ! 
Major  Carrington,  my  good  friend  and  neighbor,  for 
whose  loyalty  to  our  present  gracious  sovereign  I 
would  answer  for  as  I  would  for  my  own,  forget  the 
hasty  words  which  I  am  sure  Sir  William  Berkeley 
already  regrets.  Come,  Sir  William,  acknowledge 
that  you  were  over-choleric." 

"  I  '11  be  d — d  if  I  do !  "  cried  the  Governor. 

"  We  meet  to-night,"  said  the  Surveyor-General. 

The  Colonel  turned  to  Sir  Charles  Carew,  who  had 
been  a  highly  amused  spectator  of  this  little  scene. 

"  Charles,"  he  said  impressively,  "  report  hath  it 
that  you  have  figured  in  more  affairs  of  honor  than 
any  man  of  your  age  at  court.  •  You  should  be  a  nice 
judge  of  such  gear.  Join  me  in  assuring  these  gentle 
men  that  they  may  be  reconciled,  and  their  honor 
receive  not  the  least  taint ;  and  so  avert  a  duel  which 
would  be  a  scandal  to  the  community,  and  a  menace 
to  the  state." 

Sir  Charles  glanced  from  the  pacific  Colonel  to  the 
sternly  collected  Surveyor-General,  and  thence  to  the 
fiery  Governor,  whose  white,  jeweled  fingers  twitched 
with  impatience. 

"  Certainly,  sir,"  he  said  lazily,  "  you  are  welcome 
to  my  poor  opinion,  which  is  that,  considering  the 
nature  of  the  provocation,  and  the  standing  of  the 
parties,  there  is  one  way  out  of  the  affair  with  honor." 

"  Exactly !  "  said  the  Colonel  eagerly. 

Sir  Charles  locked  his  hands  behind  his  head. 
"  There  's  a  very  pretty  piece  of  ground  behind  your 
orchard,  sir,"  he  said,  dreamily  regarding  the  ceiling. 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL    201 

"  I  noticed  it  the  other  day,  and  sink  me !  if  I  did  not 
wish  for  Harry  Bellasses  with  whom  I  have  fought 
three  times.  'T  is  ever  a  word  and  a  blow  with 
Harry  !  The  light  just  at  sunset  is  excellent,  though 
your  twilight  cometh  over  soon.  May  I  venture  to 
suggest  to  your  Excellency  that  your  riposte  is  more 
brilliant  than  safe  ?  Major  Carrington,  your  parade 
is  somewhat  out  of  fashion.  I  could  teach  you  the 
newest  French  mode  in  five  minutes." 

"  I  arn  obliged  for  your  offer,  sir,"  said  the  Sur 
veyor-General  dryly.  "  The  other  has  served  my  turn, 
and  must  do  so  again." 

"  Sir  Charles  Carew  will  do  me  the  honor  to  be  my 
second  ?  "  asked  the  Governor  of  that  gentleman,  who 
answered  with  a  low  bow,  and  a  "  The  honor  is  mine." 

"  Captain  Laramore  ?  "  said  the  Surveyor-General. 

"  At  your  service,  Major,"  cried  the  Captain,  a  dash 
ing,  black-a-vised  personage,  with  large  gold  rings  in 
his  ears,  a  plume  a  yard  long  in  his  castor,  and  a 
general  Drawcansir  air. 

"  Will  Captain  Laramore  fight  ? "  inquired  Sir 
Charles.  "  I  have  had  the  honor  of  changing  the 
date  for  sailing  for  several  gentlemen  of  his  profes 
sion." 

"  Even  so  accomplished  a  swordsman  as  Sir  Charles 
Carew  is  allowed  to  be,  hath  yet  a  lesson  to  learn," 
said  the  doughty  captain. 

"And  that  is  —  " 

"  Pride  shall  have  a  fall  —  to-night." 

Sir  Charles  smiled  politely.  "  The  ship  that  is 
anchored  off  yonder  point  is  yours,  is  it  not  ?  Would 
you  not  like  to  take  a  last  look  at  her  ?  Or  to  leave 
instructions  for  your  lieutenant  and  successor  ?  There 
is  time  for  you  to  gallop  to  the  point  and  back." 


202  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Am  I  to  have  the  honor  of  crossing  swords  with 
you,  Colonel  Verney  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Peyton. 

"No,  sir!"  exclaimed  the  vexed  Colonel.  "You 
are  not !  I  wash  my  hands  of  this  foolish  fray.  Wil 
liam  Berkeley,  I  have  never  scrupled  to  tell  thee 
when  I  thought  thee  in  the  wrong.  I  think  so  now. 
Charles,  thou  art  an  impudent  fellow !  I  have  it  in 
my  mind  to  wish  that  the  Captain  may  give  thee  the 
lesson  he  talks  of." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  drawled  the  gentleman  addressed. 
"  Mr.  Peyton  looks  quite  disconsolate.  Sink  me  !  if 
it 's  not  a  shame  to  leave  him  out  in  the  cold.  If  he 
will  wait  his  turn  I  will  be  happy  to  oblige  him  when 
I  have  disposed  of  the  Captain." 

"  You  will  do  no  such  thing  !  "  retorted  his  kinsman. 
"  Mr.  Peyton,  take  your  hand  off  your  sword  !  At 
least  there  shall  be  two  sane  men  at  this  meeting.  I 
suppose,  gentlemen,  you  agree  with  me  that  this  affair 
cannot  be  kept  too  private  ?  To  that  end  you  had  best 
ride  with  me  to  Verney  Manor,  and  there  have  it  out 
on  this  plot  of  ground  Charles  talks  of.  It  is  at  least 
retired." 

"  'T  is  a  most  sweet  spot,"  said  Sir  Charles. 

"  Good  !  "  quoth  the  Governor.  "  And  now  that 
this  little  matter  is  settled,  I  am  once  more,  and  for 
the  present,  sir,  simply  your  obliged  guest  and  ser 
vant,"  and  he  bowed  to  the  Surveyor-General. 

Carrington  returned  the  bow.  "  We  will  drink  to 
our  better  acquaintance  to-night.  Pompey  !  the  sack 
and  the  aqua  vitae.  And,  Pompey!  a  handful  of 
mint." 

The  company  fell  to  drinking,  and  then  to  tobacco. 
The  Governor,  whose  fits  of  passion  were  as  short  as 
they  were  violent,  arrived  by  rapid  degrees  at  a  pitch 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  SURVEYOR-GENERAL    203 

of  high  good  humor.  The  company  listened  gravely 
for  the  fiftieth  time  to  stories  of  the  court  of  the 
first  James  ;  of  Buckingham's  amours,  of  the  beauty 
of  Henrietta  Maria,  of  a  visit  to  Paris,  an  interview 
with  Richelieu,  a  duel  with  a  captain  of  Mousque- 
taires,  a  kiss  imprinted  upon  the  fair  hand  of  Anne 
of  Austria.  The  charmed  stream  of  the  old  courtier's 
reminiscences  flowed  on  —  he  stopped  for  breath,  and 
Sir  Charles  took  the  word  and  proceeded  to  unfold 
before  their  dazzled  eyes  a  gorgeous  phantasmagoria. 
The  King,  the  Duke,  Sedley  and  Buckingham,  Mes- 
dames  Castlemaine,  Stuart  and  Gwynne,  Dryden  and 
Waller  and  Lely,  the  King's  house,  the  Queen's  chapel, 
the  Queen's  duennas,  the  Tityre  Tus,  Paul's  Walk,  the 
Russian  Ambassador,  astrologers,  orange  girls,  balls, 
masques,  pageants,  duels,  the  court  of  Louis  le  Grand, 
the  King's  hunting  parties,  Madame  d'Orleans,  Olympe 
di  Mancini. 

The  Governor  listened  with  dilating  nostrils  and 
sparkling  eyes  ;  Colonel  Verney's  vexed  countenance 
smoothed  itself ;  Captain  Laramore,  sitting  with  out 
stretched  legs,  and  head  hidden  in  clouds  of  tobacco 
smoke,  rumbled  from  out  that  obscurity  laughter  and 
strange  oaths.  Even  Mr.  Peyton,  after  vainly  trying 
to  fix  his  attention  upon  the  construction  of  a  sonnet 
to  his  mistress's  eyebrow,  succumbed  to  the  enchant 
ment,  and  sat  with  parted  lips,  drinking  in  wonders ; 
but  the  Surveyor-General,  though  he  listened  cour 
teously,  listened  with  forced  smiles  and  with  an  atten 
tion  which  was  hard  to  preserve  from  wandering. 

In  the  midst  of  a  brilliant  account  of  the  nuptials 
of  the  Chevalier  de  Grammont  came  an  interruption. 

"  De  horses  am  fed  an'  brought  roun',  massa." 

The  Governor  started  up.     "  Rat  me,  if  good  sack 


204  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

and  good  stories  make  not  a  man  forget  all  else 
beside !  Colonel  Verney,  I  wish  you,  as  lieutenant  of 
this  shire,  to  ride  with  me  to  this  Chickahominy 
village  where  I  have  promised  an  audience  to  the  half 
king  of  the  tribe.  Plague  -on  the  unreasonable  ver 
min  !  Why  can  they  not  give  way  peaceably  ?  If  the 
colony  needs  and  takes  their  lands,  it  leaves  them  a 
plenty  elsewhere.  Let  them  fall  back  towards  the 
South  Sea.  Sir  Charles,  I  grieve  for  the  necessity, 
but  we  must  leave  the  court  and  come  back  to  the 
wilderness.  Gentlemen,  will  you  ride  with  Verney 
and  me,  or  shall  we  part  now  to  meet  at  sunset  in  his 
orchard  ?  " 

"  We  had  best  ride  with  your  Excellency,"  said 
Carrington  gravely.  "  I  like  not  the  temper  of  the 
Chickahominies,  who  ever  mean  most  when  they  say 
least.  And  these  roving  Ricahecrians,  their  guests, 
are  of  a  strange  and  fierce  aspect.  It  is  as  well  to  go 
in  force." 

"  Those  vagrants  from  the  Blue  Mountains  have 
been  here  overlong,"  said  the  Governor.  "  I  shall 
send  them  packing !  Well,  gentlemen,  since  we  are 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  your  company,  boot  and  saddle 
is  the  word  !  " 


CHAPTER  XX 

WHEREIN    THE    PEACE   PIPE   IS    SMOKED 

THE  sun  had  some  time  passed  the  meridian  when 
the  party  saw  through  the  widening  glades  of  the 
forest  the  gleam  of  a  great  river,  and  upon  its  bank 
an  Indian  village  of  perhaps  fifty  wigwams,  set  in 
fields  of  maize  and  tobacco,  groves  of  mulberries,  and 
tangles  of  wild  grape.  The  titanic  laughter  of  Lara- 
more  and  the  drinking  catch  which  Sir  Charles  trolled 
forth  at  the  top  of  a  high,  sweet  voice  had  announced 
their  approach  long  before  they  pushed  their  horses 
into  the  open  ;  and  the  population  of  the  village  was 
come  forth  to  meet  them  with  song  and  dance  and  in 
gala  attire.  The  soft  and  musical  voices  of  the  young 
women  raised  a  kind  of  recitative  wherein  was  lauded 
to  the  skies  the  virtue,  wisdom  and  power  of  the  white 
father  who  had  come  from  the  banks  of  the  Powhatan 
to  those  of  the  Pamunkey  to  visit  his  faithful  Chicka- 
hominies,  bringing  (beyond  doubt)  justice  in  his 
hand.  The  deeper  tones  of  the  men  chimed  in,  and 
the  mob  of  naked  children,  bringing  up  the  rear  of  the 
procession,  added  their  shrill  voices  to  the  clamor, 
which,  upon  the  booming  in  of  a  drum  and  the  furious 
shaking  of  the  conjurer's  rattle,  became  deafening. 

The  chant  came  to  an  end,  but  the  orchestra  perse 
vered.  Ten  girls  left  the  throng,  formed  themselves 
into  line,  and  advancing  one  after  the  other  with  a 
slow  and  measured  motion,  laid  at  the  feet  of  the 


206  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

Governor  (who  had  dismounted)  platters  of  parched 
maize,  beans  and  chinquepins,  with  thin  maize  cakes. 
They  were  succeeded  by  two  stalwart  youths  bearing, 
slung  upon  a  pole  between  them,  a  large  buck  which 
they  deposited  upon  the  ground  before  the  white  men. 
There  came  a  tremendous  crash  from  the  drum,  and  a 
discordant  scream  from  a  long  pipe  made  of  a  reed. 
The  crowd  opened,  and  from  out  their  midst  stalked  a 
venerable  Indian. 

"  My  fathers  are  welcome,"  he  said  gravely. 

"  Where  is  the  half  king  ? "  demanded  the  Gov 
ernor  sharply.  "  I  have  no  time  for  these  fooleries. 
Make  them  stop  that  infernal  racket,  and  lead  us  to 
your  chiefs  at  once." 

The  Indian  frowned  at  this  cavalier  reception  of 
the  village  civilities,  but  he  waved  his  arm  for  the 
music  to  cease,  and  proceeded  to  conduct  the  visitors 
through  a  lane  made  by  two  rows  of  dusky  bodies 
and  staring  faces,  to  a  large  wigwam  in  the  centre  of 
the  village.  Before  this  hut  stood  a  mulberry  tree 
of  enormous  size,  and  seated  upon  billets  of  wood  in 
the  shade  of  its  spreading  branches  were  the  half  king 
of  the  tribe  and  the  principal  men  of  the  village. 

Their  faces  and  the  upper  portions  of  their  bodies 
were  painted  red  —  the  color  of  peace.  They  wore 
mantles  of  otter  skins,  and  from  their  ears  depended 
strings  of  pearl  and  bits  of  copper.  To  the  earring 
of  the  half  king  were  attached  two  small,  green 
snakes  that  twisted  and  writhed  about  his  neck ;  his 
body  had  been  oiled  and  then  plastered  with  small 
feathers  of  a  brilliant  blue,  and  upon  his  head  was 
fastened  a  stuffed  hawk  with  extended  wings. 

To  one  side  of  this  group  stood  a  band  of  Indians, 
two  score  or  more  in  number,  who  differed  in  appear- 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      207 

ance  and  attire  from  the  Chickahominies.  The  iron 
had  entered  the  soul  of  the  latter ;  they  had  the  bear 
ing  of  a  subject  race.  Not  so  with  the  former.  They 
were  men  of  great  size  and  strength,  with  keen,  fierce 
faces  ;  their  clothing  was  of  the  scantiest  possible 
description ;  ornaments  they  had,  but  of  a  peculiar 
kind  —  necklaces  and  armlets  of  human  bones,  belts 
in  which  long  tufts  of  silk  grass  were  interwoven  with 
a  more  sinister  fibre.  They  leaned  on  great  bows, 
and  each  sternly  motionless  figure  looked  a  bronze 
Murder. 

The  chief  of  the  Chickahominies  raised  his  eyes 
from  the  ground  as  the  Governor  and  his  party 
entered  the  circle.  "  My  white  fathers  are  welcome," 
he  said.  "  Let  them  be  seated,"  and  looked  at  the 
ground  again.  The  "white  fathers"  took  possession 
of  half  a  dozen  billets,  and  waited  in  silence  the  next 
move  of  the  game.  After  a  while,  the  half  king  lifted 
from  the  log  beside  him  a  pipe  with  a  stem  a  yard 
long  and  a  bowl  in  which  an  orange  might  have 
rested.  An  Indian,  rising,  went  to  where  a  fire 
burned  beneath  a  tripod,  and  returning  with  a  live 
coal  between  his  fingers,  calmly  and  leisurely  lighted 
the  pipe.  The  half  king,  still  in  dead  silence,  lifted 
it  to  his  lips,  smoked  for  five  minutes,  and  handed  it 
to  the  Indian,  who  bore  it  to  the  Governor.  The 
Governor  drew  two  or  three  tremendous  whiffs  and 
passed  it  on  to  Colonel  Verney,  who  in  his  turn  trans 
ferred  it  to  the  Surveyor-General.  When  the  mon 
ster  pipe  had  been  smoked  by  each  of  the  white  men, 
it  went  the  round  of  the  savages.  An  Indian  summer 
haze  began  to  settle  around  the  company.  Through 
it  the  patient  gazing  throng  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
circle  became  shadowy,  impalpable  ;  the  face  of  the 


208  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

half  king,  now  hidden  in  shifting  smoke  wreaths,  now 
darkly  visible,  like  that  of  an  eastern  idol  before 
whom  incense  is  burned.  There  was  no  sound  save 
the  wash  of  the  waters  below  them,  the  sighing  of  the 
wind,  the  drone  of  the  cicadas  in  the  trees.  The 
Indians  sat  like  statues,  but  the  white  men  were  more 
restive.  The  elders  managed  to  restrain  their  impa 
tience,  but  Laramore  began  to  whistle,  and  when 
checked  by  a  look  from  the  Governor,  turned  to  Sir 
Charles  with  a  comically  disconsolate  face  and  a  shrug 
of  the  shoulders.  Whereupon  the  latter  drew  from  his 
pocket,  dice  and  a  handful  of  gold  pieces.  Laramore's 
face  brightened,  and  the  two,  screened  from  observa 
tion  by  the  Colonel's  shoulders,  which  were  of  the 
broadest,  fell  to  playing  noiselessly,  cursing  beneath 
their  breath.  Mr.  Peyton  leaned  his  elbow  on  his 
knee,  and  his  chin  upon  his  hand,  and  allowed  the 
dreamy  beauty  of  the  afternoon  to  overflow  a  poetic 
soul. 

At  length,  and  when  the  patience  of  the  whites  was 
well-nigh  exhausted,  the  pipe  came  back  to  where  the 
half  king  sat  with  lowered  eyes  and  impassive  face. 
lie  laid  it  down  beside  him  and  rose  to  his  feet,  gather 
ing  his  mantle  around  him. 

"  My  white  fathers  are  welcome,"  he  said  in  a 
sonorous  voice.  "  Very  welcome  to  the  Chickahomi- 
nies  is  the  face  of  the  white  father,  who  rules  in  the 
place  of  the  great  white  father  across  the  sea.  Their 
corn  feast  is  not  yet,  and  yet  my  people  rejoice.  Our 
hearts  were  glad  when  my  father  sent  word  that  he 
would  this  day  visit  his  faithful  Chickahomiuies. 
Our  ears  are  open  :  let  my  father  speak." 

"  I  thank  Harquip  and  his  people  for  their  wel 
come,"  said  the  Governor  coldly.  "  I  have  ever  found 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      209 

them  full  of  words.  They  profess  loyalty  to  the  great 
white  father  beyond  the  seas,  but  they  forget  his  good 
laws  and  disobey  his  officers.  I  am  weary  of  their 
words." 

"  Tell  me,"  said  Harquip,  with  a  sombre  face,  "  are 
they  good  laws  which  drive  us  from  our  hunting 
grounds  ?  Are  they  good  laws  which  take  from  us 
our  maize  fields  ?  Does  the  great  white  father  love 
to  hear  our  women  cry  for  food  ?  or  is  his  heart 
Indian  and  longs  for  the  sound  of  the  war  whoop  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  threat,"  the  Governor  said  sternly. 

The  Indian  waved  his  hands.  "  Have  we  not 
smoked  the  peace  pipe?"  he  said  coldly. 

"  Humph  !  "  said  the  Governor  then,  "  I  am  not 
come  to  listen  to  idle  complaints.  Your  grievances  as 
to  the  land  shall  be  laid  before  the  next  Assembly,  and 
it  will  pass  judgment  upon  them  —  justly  and  right 
eously,  of  course." 

"  Ugh  !  "  said  the  Indian. 

"  I  am  here,"  continued  the  Governor,  "  to  ask 
certain  questions  of  the  Chickahominies,  and  to  lay 
certain  commands  upon  them  which  they  will  do  well 
to  obey." 

"  Let  my  father  speak,"  said  the  Indian  calmly. 

"  Why  did  you  shelter  in  your  village  the  man  with 
the  red  hair  ?  Word  was  sent  to  all  the  tribes,  to  the 
Nansemonds,  the  Wyanokes,  the  Cheskiacks,  the  Pas- 
paheghs,  the  Pamunkeys,  the  Chickahominies,  that  he 
should  be  delivered  up  if  they  found  him  among 
them.  Why  did  the  Chickahominies  hide  him?  " 

"  In  the  night  time,  the  red  fox  came  to  the  village 
of  the  Chickahominies  and  burrowed  there.  The 
eyes  of  my  people  were  closed  :  they  saw  him  not." 

"  Humph !  AVhy  did  you  not  carry  your  guns  to  the 


210  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Court  House  when  the  tribes  were  ordered  to  do  so,  a 
fortnight  ago,  and  leave  them  there,  taking  in  exchange 
roanoke  and  fire-water  ?  " 

"  My  fathers  asked  much,"  said  the  half  king 
gloomily.  "  My  young  men  love  their  sticks-that- 
speak.  They  love  to  see  the  deer  go  down  before 
them  like  maize  before  the  hail  storm.  My  fathers 
asked  much." 

"  How  many  guns  has  your  village  ?  " 

"  Five,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  Humph  !  To-morrow  you  will  deliver  ten  guns  to 
the  captain  of  the  trainband  at  the  court-house.  When 
do  these  men,"  pointing  to  the  stranger  band,  "return 
to  their  tribe  ?  " 

"  They  are  our  friends.  They  wait  to  dance  the 
corn  dance  with  us.  Then  will  they  return  to  the 
Blue  Mountains,  and  will  tell  the  Ricahecrians  of  the 
great  things  they  have  seen,  and  of  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  my  white  fathers." 

"  When  is  your  corn  feast  ?  " 

"  Seven  suns  hence." 

"  They  must  be  gone  to-morrow." 

The  face  of  the  half  king  darkened,  and  there  was 
a  slight,  instantly  repressed  movement  among  the 
circle  of  braves. 

"  My  father  asks  very  much,"  said  the  half  king 
with  emphasis. 

"  Not  more  than  I  can,  and  will,  enforce,"  said  the 
Governor  sternly,  and  getting  to  his  feet  as  he  spoke. 
"  You,  Harquip,  shall  be  answerable  to  me  and  to  the 
Council  for  these  men's  departure  to-morrow.  If  by 
sunrise  of  the  next  morning  their  canoes  are  far  up 
the  river,  headed  for  the  Blue  Mountains,  if  by  the 
same  hour  the  guns  which  you  have  retained  in  defi- 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      211 

ance  of  the  express  decree  of  the  Assembly,  be  given 
up  to  those  at  the  Court  House,  then  will  I  overlook 
your  hiding  the  man  with  the  red  hair,  and  the 
Assembly  will  listen  to  your  complaints  as  to  your 
hunting  grounds.  Disobey,  and  my  warriors  shall 
come,  each  with  a  stick-that-speaks  in  his  hand.  I 
have  spoken,"  and  the  Governor  beckoned  to  the  ser 
vants  who  held  the  horses. 

The  half  king  rose  also.  "  My  white  father  shall 
be  obeyed,"  he  said  with  gloomy  dignity.  "  He  is 
stronger  than  we.  Otee  has  been  angry  with  the  real 
men  for  many  years.  He  is  gone  over  to  the  pale 
faces  and  helps  their  god  against  the  real  men.  My 
young  men  shall  take  their  guns  back  to  the  palefaces 
to-morrow,  and  shall  bring  back  fire-water,  and  we  will 
drink,  and  forget  that  the  days  of  Powhatan  are  past 
and  that  Otee  fights  against  us.  Also  when  the 
Pamunkey  is  red  with  to-morrow's  sunset,  my  brothers 
from  the  Blue  Mountains  shall  turn  their  faces  home 
wards.  My  father  is  content  ?  " 

"  I  am  content,"  said  the  Governor. 

"  There  is  a  thing  which  my  brothers  have  to  say  to 
my  white  fathers,"  continued  the  half  king.  "  Will 
they  hear  the  great  chief,  Black  Wolf?  " 

The  Governor  pulled  out  a  great  watch,  glanced  at 
it,  and  sighed  resignedly.  "  Gentlemen,  have  patience 
a  moment  longer.  Harquip,  I  will  listen  to  the 
Kicahecrian  until  the  shadow  of  that  tree  reaches  the 
fire.  What  says  he?" 

The  half  king  spoke  to  the  strangers  in  their  own 
tongue  —  their  ranks  broke,  and  an  Indian  stalked 
forward  to  the  centre  of  the  circle.  His  tall,  power 
ful,  nearly  nude  figure  was  thickly  tatooed  with  repre 
sentations  of  birds  and  beasts  ;  he  wore  an  armlet  of 


212  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

a  dull,  yellow  metal  ("  Gold !  by  the  Eternal !  "  ejacu 
lated  the  Governor  to  Colonel  Verney)  ;  over  his 
naked,  deeply  scarred  breast  hung  three  strings  of 
hideous  mementoes  of  torture  stakes ;  the  belt  that 
held  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  was  fringed  with 
human  hair ;  beside  his  streaming  scalplock  was  stuck 
the  dried  hand  of  an  enemy.  The  face  beneath  was 
cunning,  relentless,  formidable.  He  spoke  in  his  own 
language,  and  the  half  king  translated. 

"  Black  Wolf  is  a  great  chief.  In  his  village  in 
the  Blue  Mountains  are  fifty  wigwams  — the  largest  is 
his.  There  are  a  hundred  braves  —  he  leads  the  war 
parties.  The  Monacans  run  like  deer,  the  hearts  of 
the  Tuscaroras  become  soft,  they  hide  behind  their 
squaws !  Black  Wolf  is  a  great  chief.  Seven  moons 
of  cohonks  have  passed  since  the  Ricahecrians  sharp 
ened  their  hatchets  and  came  down  from  the  moun 
tains  to  where  the  waters  of  Powhatan  fall  over  many 
rocks.  There  they  met  the  palefaces.  The  One  above 
all  was  angry  with  his  Ricahecrians.  They  saw  for  the 
first  time  the  guns  of  the  palefaces.  They  thought 
they  were  gods  who  spat  fire  at  them  and  slew  them 
with  thunder.  Their  hearts  became  soft,  and  they  fled 
before  the  strange  gods.  Some  the  palefaces  slew,  and 
some  they  took  prisoner.  Black  Wolf  saw  his  brother, 
the  great  chief  Grey  Wolf,  fall.  The  Ricahecrians 
went  back  to  the  Blue  Mountains,  and  their  women 
raised  the  death  chant  for  those  whom  they  left 
stretched  out  on  the  bank  of  the  great  river.  .  .  . 
Seven  times  had  the  maize  ripened,  when  Black  Wolf 
led  a  war  party  against  a  tribe  that  dwelt  on  the 
banks  of  the  Pamunkey  where  a  fallen  pine  might 
span  it.  The  waters  ran  red  with  blood.  When 
there  were  no  more  Monacans  to  kill,  when  the  fires 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      213 

had  burnt  low,  Black  Wolf  looked  down  the  waters  of 
the  Pamunkey.  He  had  heard  that  it  ran  into  a  great 
water  that  was  salt,  whose  further  bank  a  man  could 
not  see.  He  had  heard  that  the  palefaces  rode  in 
canoes  that  had  wings,  great  and  white.  He  thought 
he  would  like  to  know  if  these  things  were  true,  or  if 
they  were  but  tales  of  the  singing  birds.  To  find  out, 
Black  Wolf  and  his  young  men  dipped  their  oars 
into  the  water  of  the  Pamunkey,  and  rowed  towards 
the  moonrise.  In  the  morning  they  met  twenty  men 
of  the  Pamunkeys  in  three  canoes.  The  Pamunkeys 
lie  deep  in  the  slime  of  the  river ;  the  eels  eat  them  ; 
their  scalps  shall  hang  before  the  wigwams  of  Black 
Wolf  and  his  young  men.  In  the  afternoon,  they 
drove  their  canoes  into  the  reeds  and  went  into  the 
forest  to  find  meat.  Black  Wolf's  arrow  brought 
down  a  buck  and  they  feasted.  Afterwards  they 
caught  a  hunter  who  saw  only  the  deer  he  was 
chasing.  They  tied  him  to  a  tree  and  made  merry 
with  him.  When  he  was  dead,  they  drew  their  boats 
from  out  the  reeds,  and  rowed  on  down  the  broaden 
ing  river.  The  next  day,  at  the  time  of  the  full  sun- 
power,  they  came  to  this  village.  Many  years  before 
the  palefaces  came,  the  Chickahominies  were  a  great 
nation,  reaching  to  the  foot  of  the  Blue  Mountains, 
and  then  were  they  and  the  Ricahecrians  friends  and 
allies.  When  Black  Wolf  showed  them  the  totem  of 
his  tribe  upon  his  breast,  they  welcomed  him  and  his 
young  men.  That  was  ten  suns  ago.  Black  Wolf 
and  his  young  men  have  seen  many  things.  When 
they  go  back  to  the  Blue  Mountains,  the  Ricahecrians 
will  think  they  listen  to  singing  birds.  They  will  tell 
of  the  great  salt  water,  of  the  boats  with  wings,  of  the 
palefaces,  of  their  fields  of  maize  and  tobacco,  of  the 


214  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

black  men  who  serve  them,  of  their  temples,  wero- 
wances  and  women.  They  will  tell  of  the  great  white 
father  who  rules,  of  his  power,  his  wisdom,  his  open 
hand- 

"  I  thought  it  would  come  at  last,"  quoth  the  Gov 
ernor.  "  What  does  he  want,  Harquip  ?  " 

"  The  Ricahecrian  starts  for  his  wigwam  in  the 
Blue  Mountains  to-morrow  as  my  father  commands. 
He  says :  '  Shall  I  not  return  to  my  people  with  a 
gift  from  the  great  white  father  in  my  hand  ?  ' 

The  Governor  laughed.  "  Let  one  of  your  young 
men  go  to  the  court-house.  I  will  give  him  an  order 
for  beads,  for  a  piece  of  red  cloth,  and  yes,  rat  me ! 
he  shall  have  a  mirror  !  I  hope  he  is  satisfied  !  " 

The  half  king's  eyes  gleamed  covetously.  "  My 
father  gives  large  gifts.  He  has  indeed  an  open  hand. 
But  the  Ricahecrian  desires  another  thing.  He  says : 
'  Seven  years  ago,  at  the  falls  of  the  Powhatan, 
Black  Wolf  saw  his  brother  fall  before  the  stick-that- 
speaks  of  the  palefaces.  Grey  Wolf  was  a  great 
chief.  The  village  in  the  Blue  Mountains  mourned 
very  much.  Nicotee,  his  squaw,  went  wailing  into 
the  land  of  shadows.  His  son  hath  seen  but  seven 
moons  of  corn,  but  he  dreams  of  the  day  when  he 
shall  sharpen  the  hatchet  against  the  slayers  of  his 
father.  .  .  .  The  Chickahominies  have  told  Black 
Wolf  that  his  brother  was  wounded  and  not  slain  by 
the  palefaces.  They  brought  him  captive  to  their 
great  board  wigwams.  There  they  tied  him  not  to  the 
torture  stake ;  they  knew  that  a  Ricahecrian  laughs 
at  the  pine  splinters.  They  tortured  his  spirit.  They 
made  him  a  woman.  The  great  chief  of  the  Rica- 
hecrians  no  longer  throws  the  tomahawk  —  the  guns 
of  the  palefaces  are  about  him.  He  dances  the  corn 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      215 

dance  no  more  —  his  back  is  bowed  with  burdens. 
His  arrow  brings  not  down  the  fleeing  deer,  he  tracks 
not  the  bear  to  his  den  —  he  toils  like  a  squaw  in  the 
fields  of  the  palefaces.  Black  Wolf  says  to  the  white 
father  :  "  Give  back  the  Sagamore  to  the  Ricahecrians, 
to  his  son,  to  the  village  by  the  falling  stream  in 
the  Blue  Mountains.  Then  will  the  Ricahecrians  be 
friends  with  the  palefaces  forever.  To-morrow  Black 
Wolf  and  his  young  men  row  towards  the  sunset ;  let 
the  captive  chief  be  in  their  midst.  This  is  the  gift 
which  Black  Wolf  asks  of  his  white  fathers.  He  has 
spoken.'  " 

In  the  midst  of  a  dead  silence  the  half  king  took 
his  seat  and  studied  the  ground.  The  Chickahomi- 
nies,  squatted  round  the  circle,  stirred  not  a  finger,  and 
the  outer  row  of  spectators,  motionless  against  a  back 
ground  of  interlacing  branches  patched  with  vivid  blue, 
seemed  a  procession  in  tapestry.  The  Ricahecrians 
and  their  formidable  chief  maintained  a  stony  gloom. 
Whatever  interest  they  felt  in  the  fate  of  their  captive 
chief  was  carefully  concealed.  The  sun,  now  hanging, 
broad  and  red,  low  in  the  heavens  might  have  been 
the  Gorgon's  head  and  the  whole  village  staring  at  it. 

The  Governor  began  to  laugh.  Sir  Charles  chimed 
in  musically  and  Laramore  followed  suit.  The  Sur 
veyor-General  frowned,  but  the  Colonel,  after  one  or 
two  attempts  at  sobriety  of  demeanor,  succumbed,  and 
the  trio  became  a  quartette.  The  glades  of  the  forest 
rang  to  the  jovial  sound  —  it  was  as  though  there 
were  enchantment  in  the  golden  afternoon,  or  in  the 
ring  of  dark  and  frowning  countenances  before  them, 
for  they  laughed  as  though  they  would  never  stop. 
Even  the  servants  at  the  horses'  heads  were  infected, 
and  laughed  at  they  knew  not  what. 


216  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

The  Surveyor-General  lost  patience.  "  I  think  the 
Jamestown  weed  groweth  in  these  woods,"  he  said 
dryly. 

The  Governor  pulled  himself  together.  "  Faith  !  I 
believe  you  are  right !  "  he  said  airily.  "  But  rat  me  ! 
if  the  impudence  of  the  varlets  be  not  the  most  amus 
ing  thing  since  the  Quaker's  plea  for  toleration !  " 

"  The  amusement  seems  to  be  on  our  side,"  said  the 
S  ur  veyor-General . 

The  Governor  cast  a  careless  glance  in  the  direction 
indicated  by  the  other.  "  Pshaw !  a  fit  of  the  sulks  ! 
They  will  get  over  it.  Is  this  precious  captive  the 
giant  whom  I  have  seen  at  Rosemead,  Major  Car- 
rington  ?  " 

"  Not  so,  your  Excellency.  My  man  is  a  Susque- 
hannock." 

"  I  believe  I  may  lay  claim  to  the  fellow,  Sir  AVil- 
liam,"  said  the  Colonel,  wiping  his  eyes. 

"  Is  he  the  Indian  who  was  whipt  the  other  day  ?  " 
asked  Sir  Charles,  taking  snuff. 

"  For  stealing  fire-water  —  yes." 

The  Governor  began  to  laugh  again.  "  Of  course 
you  will  release  the  rascal,  Colonel  ?  The  Blue  Moun 
tains  threaten  war  if  you  do  not.  Fling  yourself  into 
the  breach,  and  so  prevent  a  '  scandal  to  the  com 
munity  and  a  menace  to  the  State,'  to  quote  your 
words  of  this  morning.  Consistency  is  a  jewel,  Dick 
the  Peacemaker.  Wherefore  let  the  savage  go." 

"  I  '11  be  d— d  if  I  do ! "  cried  the  Colonel. 

The  Governor,  shaking  with  laughter,  got  to  his 
feet.  At  a  signal  his  groom  brought  up  his  horse 
and  held  the  stirrup  for  him  to  mount.  His  Excel 
lency  swung  himself  into  the  saddle  and  gathered  the 
reins  into  his  gauntleted  hands  ;  the  remainder  of  the 


WHEREIN  THE  PEACE  PIPE  IS  SMOKED      217 

company,  too,  got  to  horse.  The  Governor's  steed,  a 
fiery,  coal  black  Arabian,  danced  with  impatience. 

"  Selim  scents  a  fray ! "  cried  his  Excellency. 
"  Come  on,  gentlemen  !  'T  will  be  sunset  before  we 
reach  that  sweet  piece  of  earth  behind  Verney's  or 
chard." 

The  half  king  rose  from  his  seat,  took  three  mea 
sured  strides,  and  stood  side  by  side  with  the  Rica- 
hecrian  chief. 

"  My  white  father  will  give  to  the  Ricahecrian  the 
gift  he  asks  ?  " 

A  gust  of  passion  took  the  Governor.  "  No !  "  he 
thundered,  turning  in  his  saddle.  "  The  Ilicahecrian 
may  go  to  the  devil  and  the  Blue  Mountains  alone  !  " 
Pie  struck  spurs  into  his  horse's  sides.  "  Gentlemen, 
we  waste  time  !  " 

The  Arabian  dashed  down  one  of  the  winding 
glades  of  the  forest ;  the  remainder  of  the  party 
spurred  their  horses  into  the  mad  gallop  known  as 
the  "  planter's  pace,"  and  in  an  instant  the  whole 
cavalcade  had  whirled  out  of  sight.  A  burst  of  laugh 
ter,  made  elfin  by  distance,  came  back  to  the  village 
on  the  banks  of  the  Pamunkey,  then  all  was  quiet 
again.  The  gold-laced,  audacious  company  had  van 
ished  like  a  troop  of  powerful  enchanters,  leaving  be 
hind  them  a  sullen  throng  of  native  genii,  kept  down 
by  a  Solomon's  Seal  which  is  not  always  unbreak 
able. 

Something  stirred  in  the  midst  of  the  great  mul 
berry  tree,  a  tree  so  vast  and  leafy  that  it  might  have 
hidden  many  things.  A  man  swung  himself  down 
with  a  lithe  grace  from  limb  to  limb,  and  finally 
dropped  into  the  circle  of  Indians  who  stood  or  sat  in 
a  sombre  stillness  which  might  mean  much  or  little. 


218  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Only  on  the  outskirts  the  crowd  of  women,  children 
and  youths,  had  commenced  a  low,  monotonous,  unde 
fined  noise  which  had  in  it  something  sinister,  omi 
nous.  It  was  like  the  sound,  dull  and  heavy,  of  the 
ground  swell  that  precedes  the  storm.  The  man  who 
dropped  from  the  tree  was  Luiz  Sebastian,  and  his 
appearance  seemed  in  no  degree  to  surprise  the  In 
dians.  There  followed  a  short  and  sententious  con 
versation  between  the  mulatto,  the  half  king  and  the 
Ricahecrian  chief.  Beside  the  half  king  lay  the  still 
smoking  peace  pipe.  When  the  colloquy  was  ended, 
he  raised  it.  At  a  signal  an  Indian  brought  water  in 
a  gourd,  and  into  it  the  half  king  plunged  the  glowing 
bowl.  The  fire  went  out  in  a  cloud  of  hissing  steam. 
The  sound  of  the  ground  swell  became  louder  and 
more  threatening. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   DUEL 

THE  trees  of  the  orchard  stood  out  black  against  a 
crimson  sky.  "  Faith !  it  is  a  color  we  shall  see  more 
of  presently,"  said  Laramore,  divesting  himself  of  his 
doublet. 

His  antagonist,  passing  a  laced  handkerchief  along 
a  gleaming  blade,  smiled  politely.  "A  pretty  tint. 
Wine,  the  lips  of  women,  Captain  Laramore's  blood 
-  Lard !  't  is  a  color  I  adore !  " 

"  Gentlemen  !  "  cried  Colonel  Verney.  "  Once  more 
I  beg  of  you  to  forego  this  foolish  quarrel.  William 
Berkeley,  for  the  first  time  in  your  life,  be  reason 
able  ! " 

The  Governor  turned  sharply,  his  chest,  beneath 
his  shirt  of  finest  holland,  swelling,  each  closely 
cropped  hair  upon  his  head,  bared  for  action,  stiff 
with  injured  dignity. 

"  Colonel  Richard  Verney  forgets  himself,"  he  be 
gan  angrily  ;  then,  "  Confound  you,  Dick !  keep  your 
hands  out  of  this.  I  don't  want  to  fight  you  too !  I 
say  not  that  this  gentleman  is  disloyal,  but  I  do  say, 
and  I  will  maintain  it  with  the  last  drop  of  my  blood, 
that  he  strives  to  draw  to  himself  a  party  in  the  State, 
with  what  intent  he  best  knows.  If  he  choose  to 
pocket  that  assertion  and  withdraw,  I  am  content." 

"  On  guard,  sir,"  said  Carrington,  raising  his 
sword. 


220  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

The  Colonel  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  returned 
to  his  post  beside  Mr.  Peyton. 

"  Very  well,  gentlemen,  since  you  will  not  be  ruled. 
Are  you  ready  ?  " 

The  rapiers  clashed  together,  and  the  game  began. 

The  Governor  fenced  brilliantly,  if  a  trifle  wildly ; 
his  antagonist  with  a  cool  steadiness  of  manner  and  an 
iron  wrist.  Laramore  fought  with  bull-like  ferocity, 
striving  to  beat  down  his  opponent's  guard,  making 
mad  lunges,  stamping,  and  keeping  up  a  continuous 
rumble  of  oaths.  Sir  Charles,  always  smiling,  and 
with  an  air  as  if  his  thoughts  were  anywhere  but  at 
that  particular  spot,  put  aside  his  thrusts  with  the 
ease  with  which  the  toreador  avoids  the  bull. 

Mr.  Peyton  was  moved  to  reluctant  admiration. 
"  When  I  was  in  London,  sir,"  he  said  in  an  excited 
whisper  to  the  Colonel,  "  I  did  see  Mathews  fight  with 
Westwicke,  and  thought  I  had  seen  fencing  indeed, 
but  your  cousin  —  ah !  " 

Laramore's  sword  described  a  curve  in  the  air,  and 
lodged  in  the  boughs  of  an  apple-tree,  while  its  owner 
staggered  forward  and  fell  heavily  to  the  ground.  At 
the  same  instant  Carrington  wounded  the  Governor 
in  the  wrist.  Colonel  Verney  struck  up  the  weapons. 
"  By  the  Lord,  gentlemen !  you  shall  go  no  further ! 
Jack  Laramore  's  down,  run  through  the  shoulder ! 
Major  Carrington,  you  have  drawn  blood  —  it  is 
enough." 

"  If  Sir  "William  Berkeley  is  content,"  began  Car 
rington,  bowing  to  his  antagonist. 

"  Rat  me  !  I  've  no  choice,"  said  the  Governor  rue 
fully.  "  You  've  disabled  my  sword  arm,  and  the 
gout  has  the  other." 

"  I  shall  be  happy  to  wait  until  the  wound  shall 


THE   DUEL  221 

have  healed,"  said  the  Surveyor-General,  with  another 
bow. 

"  No,  no,"  said  his  Excellency,  with  a  laugh.  "  We  '11 
cry  quits.  And  rat  me !  if  now  that  we  have  had  it 
out,  I  do  not  love  thee  better,  Miles  Carrington,  than 
ever  I  did  before.  In  the  morning  when  thou  goest 
home,  burn  thy  library,  burn  Milton  and  Bastwick, 
and  Withers,  and  the  rest  of  the  rogues,  forswear 
such  rascally  company  forever,  and  rat  me !  if  I  will 
not  maintain  that  thou  art  the  honestest,  as  well  as  the 
longest>headed,  man  in  the  colony.  There  's  my  hand 
on  it,  and  to-night  we  '11  have  a  rouse  such  as  would 
make  old  Noll  turn  in  his  grave  if  he  had  one." 

Carrington  took  the  proffered  hand  courteously,  if 
coldly.  "  I  thank  your  Excellency  for  your  advice. 
Your  Excellency  should  have  your  wound  attended  to 
at  once.  You  are  losing  a  deal  of  blood." 

"  Tut,  a  trifle  !  "  said  the  Governor,  airily,  winding 
a  handkerchief  about  the  bleeding  member. 

"  Is  there  ever  a  chirugeon  upon  the  place  ?  "  asked 
Sir  Charles  in  his  most  dulcet  tones.  "  If  not,  I  fear 
that  Captain  Laramore  will  very  shortly  make  his  last 
voyage." 

"  Egad !  that  will  never  do  ! "  cried  the  Colonel, 
dropping  upon  his  knees  beside  the  wounded  man. 
"  A  bad  thrust !  Charles,  thou  art  the  very  devil !  " 

"  Shall  I  ride  for  the  doctor  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Peyton. 

"  No.  Anthony  Nash  is  at  the  house.  Run,  lad, 
and  fetch  him.  He  is  surgeon  as  well  as  divine." 

Mr.  Peyton  disappeared;  and  presently  there  stood 
in  the  midst  of  the  group  gathered  about  the  uncon 
scious  captain,  a  man  clad  in  a  clerical  dress  and  of  a 
very  dignified  and  scholarly  demeanor. 

"Ha,  gentlemen!"  he  said  gravely,  looking  with 


222  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

bright,  dark  eyes  from  cne  to  the  other.  "  This  is  a 
sorry  business.  Shirts,  drawn  rapiers,  trampled  turf, 
Sir  William  bleeding,  Captain  Laramore  senseless 
upon  the  ground !  His  Excellency  the  Governor ; 
Major  Carrington,  the  Surveyor-General ;  Colonel 
Verney,  the  lieutenant  of  the  shire ;  —  scandalous, 
gentlemen !  " 

"  And  Anthony  Nash  who  would  give  his  chance  of 
a  mitre  to  have  been  one  of  us,"  cried  the  Governor. 
"  Ha !  Anthony !  dost  remember  the  fight  behind 
Paul's,  three  to  one,  —  and  the  baggage  that  brought 
it  about  ?  " 

The  divine,  on  his  knees  beside  Laramore,  looked  up 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye  from  his  work  of  tying  laced 
handkerchiefs  into  bandages.  "  That  was  in  the  dark 
ages,  your  Excellency.  My  memory  goeth  not  back 
so  far.  Ha !  that  is  better  !  He  is  coming  to  him 
self.  It  is  not  so  bad  after  all." 

Laramore  groaned,  opened  his  eyes,  and  struggled 
into  a  sitting  posture. 

"  Blast  me  !  but  I  am  properly  spitted.  Sir  Charles 
Carew,  my  compliments  to  you.  You  are  a  man  after 
my  own  heart.  Ha,  your  Excellency !  I  find  myself 
in  good  company.  Dr.  Anthony  Nash,  I  shall  have 
you  out !  You  have  torn  the  handkerchief  Mistress 
Lettice  Verney  gave  me." 

The  Doctor  laughed.  "  You  must  be  got  to  the 
house  at  once,  and  to  bed,  where  Mistress  Lettice, 
who  is  as  skillful  in  healing  as  in  making  wounds, 
shall  help  me  to  properly  dress  this  one." 

Laramore  staggered  to  his  feet.  "  Give  me  an 
arm,  Doctor:  and  Peyton,  clap  my  periwig  upon  my 
head,  will  you?  and  fetch  me  my  sword  from  where  I. 
see  it,  adorning  yonder  bough.  Sir  Charles  Carew, 


THE   DUEL  223 

I  am  your  humble  servant.  Damme  !  it 's  no  dis 
grace  to  be  worsted  by  the  best  sword  at  Whitehall." 
And  the  gallant  captain,  supported  by  the  clergyman 
and  Mr.  Peyton,  reeled  off  the  ground ;  the  remainder 
of  the  party  waiting  only  to  assume  doublets  and  wigs 
before  following  him  to  the  house. 

Two  hours  later  Sir  Charles  Carew  rose  from  the 
supper-table,  and  leaving  the  gentlemen  at  wine, 
passed  into  the  great  room,  and  came  softly  up  to 
Patricia,  sitting  at  the  spinet. 

"  My  heart  was  not  there,"  he  said,  answering  her 
smile  and  lifted  brows.  "  I  am  come  in  search  of  it." 

She  laughed,  fingering  the  keys.  "  Did  you  leave 
it  on  the  field  of  honor  ?  Fie,  sir,  for  shame  !  Doc 
tor  Nash  says  that  Captain  Laramore  will  not  use  his 
arm  for  a  fortnight." 

"  What—  "  said  Sir  Charles,  dropping  his  voice  and 
leaning  over  her  —  "  what  if  I  had  been  the  wounded 
one?" 

"  I  would  have  made  your  gruel  with  great  pleasure, 
cousin." 

She  laughed  again,  and  looked  at  him  half  tenderly, 
half  mockingly.  There  were  silver  candlesticks  upon 
the  spinet  and  the  light  from  the  tall  wax  tapers  fell 
with  a  white  radiance  over  the  slender  figure  in  bro 
cade  and  lace,  the  gleaming  shoulders,  the  beautiful 
face,  and  the  shining  hair.  Her  eyes  were  brilliant, 
her  mouth  all  elusive,  mocking,  exquisite  curves. 

He  raised  a  wandering  lock  of  gold  to  his  lips. 
"  The  King  hath  written,  commanding  me  home  to 
England,"  he  said  abruptly. 

"  Yes,  my  father  told  me.  He  says  the  King  loves 
you  much." 

Sir  Charles  left  her  side,  twice  walked  the  length 


224  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

of  the  room,  and  came  back  to  her.  "  Am  I  to  go  as 
I  came  —  alone  ?  "  he  asked,  standing  before  her  with 
folded  arms. 

"  If  you  so  desire,  sir  ?  " 

"  Will  you  go  with  me  ?  " 

"Yes." 

He  caught  her  in  his  arms ;  but  she  cried  out  and 
freed  herself. 

"  No,  no,  not  yet !  "  she  said  breathlessly.  "  Listen 
to  me." 

She  moved  backwards  a  step  or  two,  and  stood  fa 
cing  him,  her  hand  at  her  bosom,  a  color  in  her  cheek, 
her  eyes  like  stars.  "I  do  not  know  that  I  love  you, 
Sir  Charles  Carew.  At  times  I  have  thought  that  I 
did ;  at  times,  not.  There  is  an  unrest  here,"  touching 
her  heart,  "  which  has  come  to  me  lately.  I  do  not 
know  —  it  may  be  the  beginning  of  love.  Last  night 
my  father  had  much  talk  with  me.  It  is  his  dearest 
wish  that  you  and  I  should  wed.  He  has  been  my 
very  good  father  always.  If  you  will  take  me  as  I 
am,  not  loving  you  yet,  but  with  a  heart  free  to  learn, 
why — "  Her  voice  broke. 

Sir  Charles  flung  himself  at  her  feet,  and,  taking 
possession  of  her  hands,  covered  them  with  kisses.  A 
voice  passed  the  window,  singing  through  the  night :  — 

"Martinmas  wind,  when  wilt  thou  blow, 

And  shake  the  green  leaves  from  the  tree  ; 
0  gentle  death,  when  wilt  thou  come  ? 
For  of  my  life  I  am  weary." 

"  Margery  again  ?  "  said  Sir  Charles,  rising. 
"  Yes,"  said  Patricia,  with  a  troubled  voice. 
The  voice  began  the  stanza  again  :  — 

"Martinmas  wind,  when  wilt  thoti  blow, 

And  shake  the  green  leaves  from  the  tree  ?  " 


THE   DUEL  225 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  cried  Sir  Charles  in  alarm. 

Patricia  stared  at  him  with  wide,  unseeing  eyes. 
"  Martinmas  wind,"  she  said  in  a  low,  clear,  even 
voice.  "  Martinmas  wind !  The  leaves  drift  in 
clouds,  yellow  and  red,  red  like  blood.  Look  at  the 
river  flowing  in  the  sunshine !  And  the  tall  gray 
crags !  Ah  !  "  and  she  put  her  hands  before  her  face. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  her  suitor.  "What  is  the 
matter  ?  You  are  ill !  " 

She  dropped  her  hands.  "  I  am  well  now,"  she 
said  tremulously.  "  I  do  not  know  what  it  was.  I 
had  a  vision  —  "  she  broke  into  wild  laughter. 

"  I  am  fey,  I  think,"  she  cried.  "  Let  me  go  to  my 
room ;  I  am  better  there." 

He  held  the  door  open,  and  she  passed  him  quickly 
with  lowered  eyes.  He  watched  her  run  up  the  stairs, 
and  then  threw  himself  into  a  chair  and  stared 
thoughtfully  at  the  floor. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE   AGAIN 

THE  master  of  Verney  Manor  and  his  guests  slept 
late,  for  the  carouse  of  the  night  before  had  been 
deep  and  prolonged.  The  master's  daughter  rose  with 
the  sun,  and  went  down  into  the  garden,  and  thence 
through  the  wicket  into  the  mulberry  grove,  where 
she  found  Margery  sitting  on  the  ground,  tieing  golden- 
rod  to  her  staff.  "  Come  and  walk  with  me,  Mar 
gery,"  she  said. 

"Margery  rose  with  alacrity.  "  Where  shall  we 
go  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  whisper.  "  To  the  forest  ?  There 
were  eyes  in  the  forest  last  night,  not  the  great,  still, 
solemn  eyes  that  stare  at  Margery  every  night,  but 
eyes  that  glowed  like  coals,  and  moved  from  bush  to 
bush.  Margery  was  afraid,  and  she  left  the  forest, 
and  sat  by  the  water  side  all  night,  listening  to  what 
it  had  to  say.  A  star  shot,  and  Margery  knew  that  a 
soul  was  on  its  way  to  Paradise,  where  she  would  fain 
go  if  only  she  could  find  the  way.  .  .  .  There  are 
purple  flowers  growing  by  the  creek  between  the  cedar 
wood  and  the  marsh.  Let  us  go  gather  them,  and 
trim  Margery's  staff  very  bravely." 

"  I  care  not  where  we  go,"  said  her  mistress. 
"There  as  well  as  elsewhere." 

"  Come,  then,"  said  Margery,  and  took  the  lead. 

When  they  had  entered  the  strip  of  cedars  which 
lay  between  the  wide  fields  and  the  point  of  land  on 


THE  TOBACCO   HOUSE  AGAIN  227 

which  stood  the  third  tobacco  house,  Patricia  stopped 
beneath  a  great  tree.  "  We  will  go  no  further,  Mar 
gery,"  she  said. 

Margery  objected.  "  The  purple  flowers  grow  by 
the  water  side." 

"  Do  you  go  and  gather  them  then,"  said  Patricia 
wearily.  "  I  will  wait  for  you  here." 

Margery  glided  away,  and  her  mistress  sat  down 
upon  the  dark-red  earth  at  the  foot  of  the  tree.  There 
was  a  cold  and  sombre  stillness  in  the  wood.  The  air 
smelt  chill  and  dank,  and  the  light  came  through  the 
low,  closely  woven  roof  of  foliage,  as  though  it  were 
filtered  through  crape,  but  at  the  end  of  the  vista  of 
trees  shone  a  glory  of  sea  and  sky  and  gold-green 
marsh.  Patricia  gazed  with  dreamy  eyes.  "  It  is  all 
fair,"  she  said.  "  What  was  it  that  Dr.  Nash  read  ? 
'  My  lines  are  fallen  in  pleasant  places.'  Riches  and 
honor,  and,  they  say,  beauty,  and  many  to  love  me. — 
O  Lord  God  !  I  wish  for  happiness !  "  She  laid  her 
cheek  against  the  cool  earth,  and  the  splendor  before 
her  wavered  into  a  mist  of  rose  and  azure.  "  Why 
should  I  weep,"  she  said,  "  that  my  lines  are  laid  in 
pleasant  places  ?  " 

Margery  with  her  arms  rilled  with  flowers  appeared 
at  her  side.  "  Here  are  the  purple  flowers,"  she  said. 
"  Here  is  farewell-summer  for  me  and  a  passion-flower 
for  you."  She  threw  the  blooms  upon  the  ground, 
and  sitting  down  at  her  mistress's  feet,  began  to  weave 
them  into  garlands.  Presently  she  took  up  the  pas 
sion  -  flower.  "  This  grew  beside  the  tobacco  house, 
close  to  the  wall.  Margery  saw  it,  and  ran  to  pluck 
it.  The  door  of  the  tobacco  house  was  closed,  but 
above  the  passion-flower  was  a  great  crack  between 
the  logs."  She  began  to  laugh.  "  Margery  heard  a 


228  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

strange    thing,  while  she   was    plucking  the   passion 
flower.     Shall  she  tell  it  to  you  ?  " 

"  If  you  like,  Margery,"  said  Patricia  indifferently. 

Margery  leaned  forward,  and  laid  a  cold,  thin  hand 
upon  her  mistress'  arm. 

"  There  were  seven  men  in  the  tobacco  house.  One 
said,  '  When  the  Malignants  are  put  down,  what 
then  ?  '  and  another  answered,  '  Surely  we  will  pos 
sess  their  lands  and  their  houses,  their  silver  and  their 
gold,  for  is  it  not  written,  "  The  Lord  hath  given  them 
a  spoil  unto  their  servants.' ':  Then  the  first  said, 
'  Shall  we  not  kill  the  Malignant,  Verney  ?  '  Mar 
gery  heard  no  more.  She  came  away." 
.  Patricia  rose  to  her  feet,  pale,  with  brilliant  eyes. 

"  You  heard  no  more  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Margery,  show  me  the  place  where  you  listened." 

Margery  took  up  her  staff,  and  led  the  way  to  the 
outskirts  of  the  wood.  "  There,"  she  said,  pointing 
with  her  staff.  "  There,  where  the  elder  grows." 

Patricia  laid  her  hand  on  the  mad  woman's  shoul 
der.  "  Listen  to  me,  Margery,"  she  said  in  a  low, 
distinct  voice.  "  Listen  very  carefully.  Go  quickly 
to  the  great  house,  and  to  my  father,  or  to  Woodson, 
or  to  Sir  Charles  Carew  give  the  message  I  am  about 
to  give  you.  Do  you  understand,  Margery?" 

Margery  nodding  emphatically,  Patricia  gave  the 
message,  and  watched  her  flit  away  through  the  gloom 
of  the  cedars  into  the  sunlight  beyond  ;  then  turned 
and  went  swiftly  and  noiselessly  across  the  strip  of 
field  to  the  tall,  dark,  windowless  tobacco  house.  As 
she  neared  it,  there  came  to  her  a  low  and  undistin- 
guishable  murmur  of  voices  which  rose  into  distinct 
ness  as  she  entered  the  clump  of  alders. 


THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE   AGAIN  229 

Within  the  tobacco  house  were  assembled  the  M.ug- 
gletonian,  the  man  branded  upon  the  forehead,  the 
youth  with  the  hectic  cheek  (who  acted  as  Secretary 
to  the  Surveyor-General),  two  newly  purchased  ser 
vants  of  Colonel  Verney,  Trail  and  Godfrey  Landless. 
In  the  uncertain  light  which  streamed  from  above 
through  rents  in  the  roof  and  crevices  between  the 
upper  logs  the  interior  of  the  tobacco  house  looked 
mysterious,  sinister,  threatening.  Here  and  there 
tobacco  still  hung  from  the  poles  which  crossed  from 
wall  to  wall,  and  in  the  partial  light  the  long,  dusky 
masses  looked  wonderfully  like  other  hanging  things. 
The  great  casks  beneath  had  the  appearance  of  shad 
owy  scaffolds,  and  the  men,  sitting  or  standing  against 
them,  looked  larger  than  life.  All  was  dusk,  sub 
dued,  save  where  a  stray  sunbeam,  sifting  through  a 
crack  in  the  opposite  wall,  lit  the  ghastly  face  and 
shaven  crown  of  the  Muggletonian. 

Landless,  leaning  against  a  cask,  addressed  a  man 
of  a  grave  and  resolute  bearing  —  one  of  the  newly 
acquired  servants  of  Verney  Manor. 

"  Major  Havisham,  you  are  a  wise  and  a  brave  man. 
I  will  gladly  listen  to  any  counsel  you  may  have  to 
give  anent  this  matter." 

Havisham  shook  his  head.  "  I  have  nothing  to  say. 
The  spirit  of  the  father  lives  in  the  son.  Skillful  in 
planning,  bold  in  action  was  Warham  Landless !  " 

"  I  am  but  the  tool  of  Robert  Godwyn,"  said  Land 
less.  "  You  approve,  then,  of  our  arrangements  ?  " 

"  Entirely.  It  is  a  daring  enterprise,  but  if  it  suc 
ceeds —  "  he  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  And  if  it  fails,"  said  Landless,  "  there  is  free 
dom  yet." 

The  other  nodded.  "  Yes,  death  hath  few  terrors 
for  us." 


230  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"What  is  death?"  cried  the  hectic  youth.  "A 
short,  dim  passage  from  darkness  into  light ;  the  ante 
chamber  of  the  white  court  of  God ;  the  curtain  that 
we  lift ;  the  veil  that  we  tear  —  and  SEE  !  My  soul 
longeth  for  death,  yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of 
God !  But  He  will  not  call  His  servants  until  His 
work  is  done.  '  Wherefore  let  us  haste  to  rise  up  and 
slay,  to  work  the  Lord's  work,  and  go  from  hence !  " 

"  Yea  !  "  cried  the  Muggletonian.  "  I  fear  not 
death!  I  fear  not  the  Throne  and  the  Judgment  seat. 
The  Two  Witnesses  will  speak  for  me !  But  Death  is 
not  upon  us ;  he  passeth  by  the  weak,  and  seizeth 
upon  the  strong.  The  Malignants  shall  die,  for  the 
word  of  the  Lord  has  gone  out  against  them.  '  Thy 
foot  shall  be  dipped  in  the  blood  of  thy  enemies,  and 
the  tongue  of  thy  dogs  into  the  same !  They  shall 
fall  by  the  sword,  they  shall  be  a  portion  for  foxes ; 
as  smoke  is  drawn  away  so  shall  they  vanish,  as  wax 
melteth  before  the  fire  so  shall  they  perish !  He  that 
sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  have  them  in  derision. 
And  the  righteous  shall  rejoice  in  His  vengeance  ! ' ' 

"  Amen,"  drawled  Trail  through  his  nose.  "  Verily, 
we  will  fatten  on  the  good  things  of  the  land,  we  will 
spend  our  days  in  ease  and  pleasantness  !  The  Malig 
nants  shall  work  for  us.  They  shall  toil  in  our  tobacco 
fields,  their  women  shall  be  our  handmaidens,  we  will 
drink  their  wines,  and  wear  their  rich  clothing,  and 
our  pockets  shall  be  filled  with  their  gold  and  sil 
ver— " 

"  Silence  !  "  cried  Landless  fiercely.  "  Once  more 
I  tell  you,  mad  dreamers  that  you  are,  that  there  shall 
be  no  such  devil's  work  !  Major  Havisham,  there  are 
not  among  us  many  of  this  ilk.  Two  thirds  of  our 
number  are  men  of  the  stamp  of  Robert  Godwyn  and 
yourself.  These  men  rave." 


THE  TOBACCO   HOUSE   AGAIN  231 

"  I  heed  them  not,"  said  Havisham  with  a  slighting 
gesture  of  the  hand ;  then,  "  Let  us  recapitulate. 
Upon  this  appointed  day  we  whom  they  call  Olive- 
rians,  and  the  great  majority  of  the  redemptioners,  are 
to  rise  throughout  the  colony.  We  —  " 

"  Are  to  do  no  damage  to  property  nor  offer  any 
unnecessary  violence  to  masters  and  overseers,"  said 
Landless  firmly. 

"  We  are  simply  to  arm  ourselves,  seize  horses  or 
boats,  and  resort  to  this  appointed  place." 

"  Yes." 

"  Calling  upon  the  slaves  to  follow  us  ?  " 

"  Which  they  will  do.     Yes." 

"  And  when  all  are  assembled,  to  oppose  any  force 
sent  against  us?" 

"Yes." 

"  And  if  we  conquer,  then  —  " 

" Then  the  Republic,  —  Commonwealth,  —anything 
you  choose  —  at  any  rate,  freedom." 

"  It  is  a  desperate  plan." 

"  We  are  desperate  men." 

"  Yes,"  Havisham  said  thoughtfully ;  "  it  is  the 
best  chance  for  that  escape  of  which  we  all  dream,  and 
which  two  of  our  number,  I  see,  have  attempted  in 
vain.  I  had  set  to-morrow  night  for  my  own  attempt. 
This  promises  better." 

"  Yea,"  said  Porringer,  "  the  stars  in  their  courses 
fight  against  the  refugee !  Four  times  have  I  tried,  to 
be  retaken,  and  handled,  as  you  see.  Twice  has  this 
man  tried  and  failed.  And  the  murderer  of  Robert 
Godwyn  failed." 

"  That  remains  to  be  seen,"  said  Trail.  "  Roach 
has  broken  gaol." 

The  Muggletonian  exclaimed,  and  Landless  turned 


232  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

upon  the  forger.  "How  do  you  know?"  he  asked 
sternly. 

"  I  heard,"  was  the  smooth  reply. 

"I  am  sorry  for  it,"  said  Landless  grimly,  and 
stood  with  a  sternly  thoughtful  countenance. 

There  was  a  silence  in  the  tobacco  house  broken  by 
Havisham. 

"  And  now  —  for  time  passes  and  the  overseer  may 
come  and  find  us  not  at  our  tasks  —  tell  me  the  day 
upon  which  we  are  to  rise,  and  the  place  to  which  all 
are  to  resort." 

"  Both  are  close  at  hand,"  said  Landless  slowly. 
"  The  day  is  —  "  he  broke  off  and  leaned  forward, 
staring  through  the  dusk. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  cried  Havisham. 

"  My  eyes  met  other  eyes.  There,  behind  that  great 
crack  between  the  logs  !  " 

The  Muggletonian  rushed  to  the  door,  flung  it  open, 
and  vanished  ;  the  branded  man  followed.  The  re 
maining  occupants  of  the  tobacco  house  started  to 
their  feet,  and  Havisham  picked  from  the  floor  a  pole 
and  broke  from  it  a  stout  cudgel.  Godfrey  Landless 
strode  forward  into  the  broad  shaft  of  sunshine  that 
entered  through  the  opened  door  and  met  the  eaves 
dropper  face  to  face,  as,  with  either  arm  in  the  rude 
grasp  of  the  fanatics,  she  crossed  the  threshold. 

The  conspirators,  recognizing  the  lady  of  the  manor, 
were  stricken  dumb.  In  the  three  minutes  of  dead 
silence  which  ensued  they  saw  their  plans  defeated, 
their  hopes  ruined,  their  cause  vanquished,  their  lives 
lost.  The  graceful  figure  with  white  scorn  in  the 
beautiful  face  was  death  come  upon  them.  The 
shadow  fell  heavy  and  cold  upon  their  souls,  the  very 
air  seemed  to  darken  and  grow  chill  around  them. 


THE  TOBACCO   HOUSE  AGAIN  233 

The  figure  of  the  woman  in  their  midst  gathered  up 
the  sunshine,  became  ethereal,  transplendent,  a  tri 
umphant  white  and  gold  Spirit  of  Evil. 

Landless  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  Unhand  her !  " 
he  said  in  a  suppressed  voice. 

The  men  obeyed,  but  the  Muggletonian  placed  him 
self  between  his  prisoner  and  the  door.  She  saw  the 
movement  and  said  scornfully,  "  You  need  not  fear  ; 
I  shall  not  run  away."  Upon  her  bare,  white  arms, 
where  they  had  been  clasped  too  rudely,  were  fast 
darkening  marks.  She  glanced  from  them  to  the 
scarred  face  of  the  Muggletonian.  "  They  will  wear 
out,"  she  said. 

"  Madam,"  said  Landless  hoarsely,  "  how  long 
were  you  in  that  place  ?  " 

She  flashed  upon  him  a  look  that  was  like  a  blow. 
"  Liar !  be  silent !  "  she  said,  then  turned  to  the  row 
of  faces  that  frowned  upon  her  from  out  the  shadow. 
"  To  you  others  I  address  myself.  Traitors,  rebel 
lious  servants,  base  plotters  !  I  hold  your  lives  in  my 
hand." 

"  And  your  own  ?  "  said  Trail. 

"  Cursed  daughter  of  the  mother  of  evil !  "  cried 
the  Mnggletonian,  a  baleful  light  burning  in  his  eyes. 
"  Scarlet  woman,  whose  vain  apparel,  whose  uncov 
ered  hair  and  bared  bosom,  whose  light  songs  and 
laughter  have  long  been  an  offense  and  a  stumbling- 
block  to  the  righteous  —  thy  cup  of  iniquity  is  full, 
thy  life  is  forfeit,  thy  hour  is  come  !  "  He  drew  a 
knife  from  his  bosom  and  with  an  unearthly  cry  flour 
ished  it  above  his  head,  then  rushed  upon  her,  to  be 
met  by  Landless,  who  hurled  himself  upon  the  would- 
be  murderer  with  a  force  that  sent  them  both  stagger 
ing  against  the  wall.  A  struggle  ensued,  which  ended 


234  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

in  Landless  securing  the  knife.  With  it  in  his  hand 
he  sprang  to  the  side  of  the  girl,  \vho  stood  unflinch 
ing,  a  pride  that  was  superb  in  her  still  white  face 
and  steadfast  eyes. 

"  Who  touches  her  dies,"  he  said  between  his  teeth. 

Havisham  came  to  his  aid.  "  Men,  are  you  mad  ? 
You  cannot  murder  a  defenseless  woman  !  Moreover 
such  a  deed  would  prove  our  utter  ruin." 

"  If  her  body  were  found,  yes ! "  cried  the  hectic 
youth.  "  But  the  water  is  near,  and  who  is  to  know 
that  the  devil  sent  her  hither  ?  " 

"  It  is  her  death  or  ours,"  cried  the  branded  man. 

The  Muggletonian  tossed  his  arms  into  the  air. 

"  The  cause  !  the  cause !  Cursed  be  he  that  put- 
teth  his  hand  to  the  plough  and  fmisheth  not  the  fur 
row  !  Ride  on !  Ride  on  !  though  it  were  over  the 
bodies  of  a  thousand  painted  Jezebels  such  as  this !  " 

"  Time  presses  !  "  cried  the  branded  man.  "Wood- 
son  may  come !  " 

They  closed  in  upon  the  three  who  stood  at  bay. 
In  their  dark  faces  were  a  passion  and  an  exaltation 
—  they  saw  in  the  woman  fallen  into  their  hands,  a 
sacrifice  bound  to  the  altar.  Trail  alone  looked  un 
easy  and  held  back,  muttering  between  his  teeth. 

Landless  stepped  in  front  of  Patricia  and  faced 
them  with  a  still  and  deadly  eye,  and  with  the  hand 
that  held  the  knife  drawn  back  against  his  breast. 
Knowing  them,  he  saw  no  use  in  any  appeal ;  also  he 
saw  that  it  was  indeed  her  life  or  theirs.  On  the  one 
hand,  the  downfall  of  all  their  hopes,  the  death  or 
perpetual  enslavement  of  many,  and  for  himself  surely 
the  gibbet  and  the  rope  ;  on  the  other  — 

He  made  a  gesture  of  command.  "  Thou  shalt  do 
no  murder !  "  he  cried. 


THE  TOBACCO   HOUSE  AGAIN  235 

"  It  is  not  murder ;  It  is  sacrifice." 

"  There  must  be  another  way !  "  cried  Havisham. 

"  Find  it !  " 

Havisham  turned  to  the  prisoner.  "  Madam,  will 
you  swear  to  be  silent  concerning  what  you  have 
heard  ?  " 

The  Muggletonian  laughed  wildly.  "  Who  trusts 
a  woman's  oath !  " 

"  You  shall  have  no  need,"  said  the  lady  of  the 
manor  calmly.  She  paused  and  her  eyes  went  to  the 
door  in  an  intent  and  listening  gaze,  then  came  back 
to  the  faces  about  her  with  a  strange  light  in  their 
depths.  "  Rebel  servants,"  she  said  in  a  clear,  low 
voice,  "  I  defy  you  !  And  you,  false  slave,  stand  from 
before  me.  I  need  not  your  hateful  aid."  In  the 
moment  of  ominous  silence  that  followed,  she  swayed 
towards  the  door,  her  hand  at  her  throat,  her  soul  in 
her  eyes.  Suddenly  she  cried  out,  "  My  father ! 
Charles!  help!" 

From  without  came  an  answering  cry,  followed  by  a 
rush  of  men  through  the  door,  and  in  an  instant  the 
room  was  filled  with  struggling  forms  as  the  two  par 
ties  threw  themselves  upon  each  other.  The  newcom 
ers  were  half  a  dozen  blacks,  the  two  overseers  and 
Sir  Charles  Carew.  The  overseers  had  pistols  and  Sir 
Charles  his  sword.  With  it  he  met  the  rush  of  the 
youth  with  the  hectic  cheek,  who  came  towards  him  in 
long,  hound-like  leaps,  brandishing  a  piece  of  wood 
'above  his  head,  and  drove  the  blade  deep  into  the 
chest  of  the  fanatic.  The  wretched  man  staggered 
and  fell,  then  rose  to  his  knees.  Flinging  his  arms 
above  his  head,  he  turned  his  worn  face  towards  the 
flood  of  sunshine  pouring  in  through  the  door,  and 
cried  in  a  loud  voice,  "  I  see  !  "  A  stream  of  blood 


236  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

gushed  from  his  lips,  his  arms  dropped,  and  without  a 
groan  he  fell  back,  dead. 

Landless,  wrestling  with  the  slave  Regulus,  at 
length  succeeded  in  hurling  the  powerful  figure  to  the 
ground,  where  it  lay  stunned,  and  turned  to  find  him 
self  confronted  by  Woodson's  pistol  and  the  point  of 
Sir  Charles's  rapier.  A  glance  showed  him  the  re 
maining  conspirators,  overpowered,  and  in  the  act 
of  being  bound  with  the  ropes  that  had  lain,  coiled 
for  use  in  packing,  in  the  corners  of  the  tobacco 
house.  The  hectic  youth  lay,  a  ghastly  spectacle,  in 
a  pool  of  blood  across  the  doorway.  At  his  feet  was 
the  branded  man,  a  bullet  through  his  brain,  and 
near  him  the  groaning  figure  of  Havisham's  mortally 
wounded  companion.  The  woman  who  had  brought 
all  this  to  pass  stood  unharmed,  white,  with  tragic, 
exultant  eyes. 

Sir  Charles,  serene  and  debonair,  lowered  his  point. 
"Your  hand  is  played,"  he  said  with  a  fine  smile. 
Landless's  stern,  despairing  gaze  passed  him  and  went 
on  to  the  overseer.  "  I  surrender  to  you,"  he  said 
briefly. 

Woodson  chuckled  grimly  and  stuck  his  pistol  in 
his  belt.  He  was  in  high  good  humor,  visions  of  re 
ward  and  thanks  from  the  Assembly  dancing  before 
his  eyes.  "  I  've  had  my  eye  on  you  for  some  time, 
young  man,"  he  said  almost  genially.  "  I  've  sus 
pected  that  you  were  up  to  something,  but  Lord  !  to 
think  that  a  woman's  wit  should  have  trapped  you  at 
last !  Haines,  bring  that  rope  over  here." 

Sir  Charles  went  over  to  Patricia  and  offered  her 
his  arm.  "  Dearest  and  bravest  of  women  !  "  he  said 
in  a  caressing  whisper.  "  Come  with  me  from  this 
place,  which  must  be  dreadful  to  you." 


THE   TOBACCO   HOUSE   AGAIN  237 

She  did  not  answer  him  at  once,  but  stood  looking 
past  him  at  the  picture  of  laughing  water  and  waving 
forest  framed  in  the  doorway. 

"  I  thought  I  should  never  see  the  sunshine  again," 
she  said  dreamily.  "  Did  Margery  give  you  the  mes 
sage?  " 

'•  Yes,  she  met  me  under  the  mulberries.  I  would 
not  wait  to  rouse  your  father,  but  calling  the  overseers 
and  the  blacks  from  the  fields,  came  at  once." 

"I  owe  you  my  life,"  she  said.     "You  and  —  " 

Her  eyes  left  the  summer  outside  and  came  back  to 
the  shadowy  forms  within  the  tobacco  house.  "  I  will 
go  with  you  directly,  cousin,"  she  said  quietly,  "  but 
first  I  wish  to  speak  to  that  man." 

He  shot  a  swift  glance  at  her  face,  but  drew  back 
with  a  bow,  and  she  walked  with  a  steady  step  up  to 
Landless.  "  Fall  back  a  little,"  she  said  with  an 
imperious  wave  of  her  hand  to  the  men  about  him. 
They  obeyed  her.  Landless,  left  standing  before  her, 
his  arms  bound  to  his  sides,  raised  his  head  and  looked 
her  in  the  face.  She  met  his  eyes.  "  You  lied  to 
me,"  she  said  in  a  low,  even  voice. 

"  Once,  madam,  and  to  save  others,"  he  said  proudly. 

"  Not  once,  but  twice.  Do  you  think  that  now  I 
believe  that  tale  you  told  me  that  night,  that  fairy 
tale  of  persecuted  innocence  ?  When  I  think  that  I 
ever  believed  it  I  hate  myself." 

"  Nevertheless,  it  is  true,  madam." 

"  It  is  false !  Yesterday  I  thought  of  you  as  a  gal 
lant  gentleman,  greatly  wronged  .  .  .  and  I  pitied 
you.  To-day  I  am  wiser." 

He  held  her  eyes  with  his  own  for  a  moment,  then 
let  them  go.  "  Some  day  you  will  know,"  he  said. 

She  turned  from  him  and  held  out  her  hands  to  Sir 


238  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Charles.  He  hurried  to  her  and  she  clung  to  him. 
"  Take  me  away,"  she  said  in  a  whisper.  "  Take  me 
home." 

He  put  his  arm  about  her.  "  You  are  faint,"  he 
said  tenderly.  "  Come  !  the  air  will  revive  you." 

Supporting  her  on  his  arm,  he  guided  her  from  the 
house.  As  they  passed  the  body  stretched  across  the 
thi-eshold,  the  skirt  of  her  robe  touched  the  blood  in 
which  it  was  lying.  She  saw  it  and  shuddered. 

"  Blood  is  upon  me  !  "  she  said.     "  It  is  an  omen  !  " 

"  A  good  one,  then,"  said  her  companion  coolly, 
"  for  it  is  the  blood  of  a  fanatic  traitor.  Think  not 
of  it."  He  turned  at  the  threshold  and  cast  a  careless 
glance  back  into  the  tobacco  house.  "  Woodson,  get 
rid  of  this  carrion,  and  bring  these  men  quietly  to  the 
great  house,  where  your  master  will  deal  with  them." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE    QUESTION 

"  WE  know  all  but  two  things,  but  those  are  the 
most  important  of  all,"  said  the  Governor,  tapping  his 
jeweled  fingers  against  the  table. 

"  It  is  much  to  be  regretted,"  said  the  Surveyor- 
General,  "  that  the  presence  of  the  young  lady  was 
so  soon  discovered.  Otherwise  — 

"  Otherwise  we  might  have  had  further  information 
on  more  than  one  subject,"  said  the  Governor  dryly. 

"  We  must  make  the  best  of  what  we  have,"  con 
tinued  Carrington  calmly.  "  After  all,  it  is  enough." 

The  Governor  rose  and  began  to  pace  the  floor,  his 
head  thoughtfully  bent,  his  unwounded  hand  tugging 
at  the  curls  of  his  periwig.  "  It  is  not  enough,"  he 
said  at  length,  pausing  before  the  great  table  around 
which  the  company  were  seated.  "  Thanks  to  the 
gallant  daughter  of  the  gallant  Verneys,"  —  a  bow'and 
smile  to  Patricia,  sitting  enthroned  in  the  great  chair 
in  their  midst,  —  "  we  know  much,  but  it  is  not  enough. 
These  rogues  have  set  a  day  upon  which  to  rise ;  they 
have  appointed  a  place  to  which  they  are  to  resort. 
That  day  may  be  to-morrow,  that  place  any  point  in 
any  one  of  a  dozen  counties." 

"  I  apprehend  that  the  cockatrice  was  to  be  hatched 
near  by,"  said  Sir  Charles. 

"  It  is  the  likeliest  thing,"  answered  the  Governor, 
"  seeing  that  their  ringleader  belongs  to  this  planta- 


240  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

tion.  But  we  do  not  know.  And  there  may  not  be 
time  to  reach  the  planters,  to  give  them  warning,  to 
arrest  these  d — d  traitors,  scattered  as  they  are  from 
the  James  to  liappahannock,  and  from  Henricus  to 
the  Chesapeake.  It  might  be  best  to  assemble  the 
trainbands  at  this  cursed  spot  if  it  can  be  found,  and 
to  await  their  coming  in  force.  But  to  know  neither 
time  nor  place  —  to  start  a  hue  and  cry  and  have  the 
storm  burst  before  it  reaches  ten  plantations  —  to 
guard  one  point  and  see  fire  rise  at  another  a  dozen 
leagues  away  —  impossible  !  Gentlemen,  we  must 
come  at  the  heart  of  this  matter !  " 

"  It  is  most  advisable,"  said  Colonel  Verney 
gravely.  "  Examine  the  prisoners  again,"  suggested 
Sir  Charles. 

"  One  of  them  is  no  wiser  than  we.  You  are  cer 
tain  as  to  this,  Mistress  Patricia  ?  " 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency." 

"  Humph !  one  does  not  know ;  three  are  dead ; 
there  remain,  then,  that  shaven  and  branded  runaway 
and  the  two  convicts." 

"  You  will  learn  naught  from  the  runaway,  your 
Excellency  !  "  called  out  the  overseer  from  where  he 
stood  at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  company. 
"  He  's  one  of  them  crazy  fanatics  that  wild  horses 
could  n't  draw  truth  from.  No  Indian  torture  stake 
could  make  him  speak  if  he  didn't  want  to,  —  nor 
keep  him  from  it  if  he  did." 

"  I  know  that  kind,"  said  the  Governor,  with  a 
short  laugh,  "  and  we  will  not  waste  time  upon  him, 
but  will  try  if  the  convict  —  he  who  seems  to  have 
been  their  leader  —  be  not  more  amenable.  Bring 
him  in,  Woodson." 

When  the  overseer  had  gone,  a   silence  fell  upon 


THE   QUESTION  241 

the  company  gathered  in  the  master's  room.  The 
Governor  paced  to  and  fro,  perplexity  in  his  face  ;  the 
Colonel  knit  his  grizzled  brows  and  studied  the  floor  ; 
Dr.  Anthony  Nash  brought  the  writing  materials  dis 
played  upon  the  table,  closer  to  him,  and  held  a  quill 
ready  poised  for  dipping  into  the  ink  horn,  while  the 
Surveyor-General  with  a  carefully  composed  counte 
nance  toyed  with  a  pink  which  he  took  from  the  bowl 
of  flowers  before  him.  Sir  Charles  leaned  back  in 
his  seat  and  looked  at  Patricia  who,  seated  between 
him  and  her  father,  stared  before  her  with  hard, 
bright  eyes.  Her  lips  were  like  a  scarlet  flower 
against  the  absolute  pallor  of  her  face ;  her  hair  was 
a  crown  of  pale  gold.  In  the  great  chair,  her  white 
arms  resting  upon  the  dark  wood,  her  feet  upon  a 
carved  footstool,  she  looked  a  queen,  and  the  knot  of 
brilliantly  dressed  gentlemen  her  attendant  council. 

The  door  opened  and  the  two  overseers  appeared 
with  Landless,  who  advanced  and  stood,  silent  and 
collected,  before  the  ring  of  hostile  faces. 

"  What  is  your  name,  sirrah  ?  "  said  the  Governor, 
throwing  himself  into  his  chair  and  frowning  heavily. 

"  Godfrey  Landless." 

"  I  am  told  that  you  are  son  to  one  Warham  Land 
less,  a  so-called  colonel  in  the  rebel  army  and  hand 
in  glove  with  the  usurper  himself." 

"  I  am  the  son  of  Colonel  Warham  Landless  of  the 
forces  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  friend  to  his  High 
ness  the  Lord  Protector." 

"  Humph !  And  did  you  fight  in  these  same  forces 
yourself?" 

"  At  Worcester,  yes." 

"  Humph  !  the  son  of  a  traitor  and  rebel  —  traitor 
and  rebel  yourself  —  and  convict  to  boot !  A  pretty 
record  !  On  what  day  was  this  rising  to  occur?  " 


242  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

No  answer.  The  Governor  repeated  the  question. 
"  On  what  day  was  this  precious  mine  to  be  sprung  ? 
And  to  what  place  were  you  to  resort  ?  " 

Landless  remaining  silent,  the  Governor's  face  be 
gan  to  flush  and  the  veins  in  his  forehead  to  swell. 
"  Have  you  lost  your  tongue  ?  "  he  said  fiercely.  "  If 
so,  we  will  find  a  way  to  recover  it." 

"  I  shall  not  answer  those  questions,"  said  Land 
less  firmly. 

"  It  is  your  one  chance  for  life,"  said  the  Governor 
sternly.  "  Answer  me  truly,  and  you  may  escape  the 
gallows.  Refuse,  and  you  hang,  so  surely  as  I  sit 
here." 

"I  shall  not  answer  them." 

*'  Sink  me  if  I  ever  knew  a  Roundhead  so  careless 
of  his  own  interests,"  drawled  Sir  Charles.  The 
Governor  whispered  to  the  master  of  the  plantation, 
then  turned  again  to  the  prisoner. 

"  I  give  you  one  more  chance,"  he  said  harshly. 
"  When  is  this  day  ?  Where  is  this  place  ?  " 

"  I  shall  not  tell  you." 

"  We  will  see  about  that,"  said  his  Excellency  with 
compressed  lips.  "  Verney,  send  your  daughter  from 
the  room.  Woodson,  you  understand  this  gear,  hav 
ing  been  in  the  Indies.  This  man  is  to  tell  us  all 
that  he  knows  of  this  business.  Call  in  a  trustworthy 
slave  or  two  to  help  you." 

Patricia  uttered  a  low  cry,  and  the  Surveyor-General 
crushed  the  flower  between  his  fingers  and  turned 
upon  the  Governor.  "  Your  Excellency  !  I  protest ! 
This  that  you  would  do  is  not  lawful !  Surely  such 
harsh  measures  are  not  needed." 

The  Governor's  fury  exploded.  "  Not  needful !  " 
he  exclaimed  in  a  high  voice.  "  Not  needful,  when 


THE   QUESTION  243 

upon  these  questions  hang  the  fortunes  of  the  Colony ! 
when  if  we  fail,  to-morrow  may  usher  in  a  blacker 
forty-four  !  And  not  lawful !  I  am  the  law  in  this 
State,  Major  Carrington  ;  I  am  ,  the  King's  represen 
tative,  and  this  is  my  prerogative  !  and  I  say  that  by 
fair  means  or  foul  this  information  must  be  gained. 
This  is  no  time  to  prate  of  humanity.  We  are  to 
show  humanity  to  ourselves ;  we  are  to  stamp  out  this 
lit  fuse.  Or  does  Major  Carrington  wish  it  to  burn 
on?" 

"  No,"  said  Carrington  coldly.  "  I  spoke  hastily. 
You  are  right,  of  course,  and  I  will  interfere  no  fur 
ther." 

An  hour  later  Patricia  stood  before  the  hall  window 
looking  out  upon  the  dazzling  water  and  the  green 
velvet  of  the  marshes  with  wide,  unseeing  eyes.  Pier 
hands  were  clenched  at  her  sides  and  upon  each  cheek 
burned  a  crimson  spot.  Beside  her  crouched  Betty 
Carrington  who,  upon  the  first  rumor  of  trouble  at 
Verney  Manor,  had  ridden  over  from  Rosemead. 
Their  strained  ears  caught  no  sound  from  the  room 
opposite  other  than  the  occasional  sound  of  the  Gov 
ernor's  voice,  raised  in  interrogation.  There  came 
no  answering  voice.  Patricia  stood  motionless,  with 
eyes  that  never  wandered  from  the  rich  scene  without, 
and  with  lips  pressed  together,  but  Betty  hid  her  face 
in  the  other's  skirts  and  shivered.  The  door  of  the 
master's  room  opened  and  both  started  violently.  The 
overseer  strode  down  the  hall  and  had  laid  his  hand 
upon  the  latch  of  the  door  leading  to  the  offices,  when 
his  mistress  called  him  to  her.  "Do  they  know? 
Has  the  man  told  ?  "  she  asked  with  an  effort. 

Woodson  shook  his  head.  "  He  's  as  dumb  as  an 
oyster.  Might  as  well  try  to  get  anything  from  an 
Indian.  They  're  going  to  try  t'  other  —  Trail." 


244  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

He  left  the  hall,  but  was  back  in  five  minutes'  time 
with  the  forger.  They  entered  the  master's  room, 
and  Patricia,  seized  by  a  sudden  impulse,  followed 
them,  leaving  Betty  trembling  in  the  window  seat. 

Unnoted  by  all  but  one  of  the  company,  she  slipt  to 
a  seat  in  the  shadow  of  her  father's  burly  shoulders. 
He  was  leaning  forward,  talking  to  the  Governor,  who 
sat  very  erect,  his  features  fixed  in  an  expression  of 
dogged  determination.  The  Surveyor-General  sat  well 
behind  the  table,  and  upon  the  polished  wood  before 
him  lay  a  little  heap  of  torn  petals  and  broken  stems. 
At  the  far  end  of  the  room  and  leaning  heavily  against 
the  wall  was  the  prisoner  whose  examination  was  just 
finished. 

Sir  Charles  had  seen  the  entrance  of  the  lady  of 
the  manor,  and  he  now  rose  from  his  seat  and  came 
to  her.  "  Not  a  syllable,"  he  whispered  in  answer  to 
the  question  in  her  eyes.  "  Roundhead  obstinacy ! 
But  I  think  that  this  fellow  will  prove  more  malle 
able." 

His  prediction  was  verified.  Ten  minutes  later  the 
Governor  rose  to  his  feet  triumphant.  "  So  !  "  he 
said,  drawing  a  long  breath.  "  We  are,  I  think,  gen 
tlemen,  at  the  very  core  at  last.  The  time,  day  after 
to-morrow  ;  the  place,  Poplar  Spring  in  this  county. 
And  now  to  work  !  Those  of  these  d — d  Oliverians 
whom  we  can  reach  must  be  arrested  at  once.  Swift 
messengers  must  be  sent  to  all  plantations  far  and 
near.  The  trainbands  must  be  called  out.  Time 
presses,  gentlemen  !  " 

"  And  these  men  ?  "  said  the  Colonel. 

"  Must  go  to  Jamestown  gaol,  where  the  one  shall 
hang  as  surely  as  my  name  is  William  Berkeley.  For 
the  other —  " 


THE   QUESTION  245 

"  Your  Excellency  has  promised  me  my  life,"  said 
Trail  cringingly,  but  with  an  inscrutable  something 
that  was  not  fear  in  his  sinister  green  eyes. 

"  An  escort  must  be  gotten  together,"  said  the 
Colonel,  "  and  the  day  is  far  advanced.  I  advise 
keeping  them  here  until  the  morning." 

"  See  that  you  keep  them  straitly  then,"  said  the 
Governor. 

"  Trust  me  for  that,  your  Excellency,"  said  the 
overseer  grimly. 

"Then  to  work,  gentlemen,"  cried  the  Governor, 
"  for  there  is  much  to  do  and  but  little  time  to  do 
it  in.  Major  Carrington,  you  with  Mr.  Peyton  will 
ride  with  me  to  Jamestown.  Colonel  Verney,  you  will 
know  what  measures  to  take  for  the  safety  of  your 
shire.  Woodson,  have  the  horses  brought  around  at 
once." 

The  Council  broke  up  in  haste  and  confusion,  and 
its  members,  talking  eagerly,  streamed  into  the  hall. 
Carrington  was  the  last  in  line,  and  he  paused  before 
Landless.  The  under  overseer  and  the  slave  Regulus 
were  at  a  little  distance  replacing  the  cords  about 
Trail's  arms.  The  Surveyor-General  cast  a  quick 
glance  towards  the  door,  saw  that  the  last  retreating 
figure  was  that  of  Mr.  Peyton,  and  approached  his 
lips  close  to  Landless's  ear. 

"  You  are  a  brave  man,"  he  said  in  a  low  and 
troubled  voice.  "  From  my  soul  I  honor  you !  I 
would  have  saved  you,  would  save  you  now  if  I  could. 
But  I  am  cruelly  placed." 

"  I  have  no  hope  for  this  life  —  and  no  fear,"  said 
Landless  calmly. 

Carrington  paused  irresolute,  and  a  flush  rose  to  his 
face.  "  I  would  like  to  hear  you  say  that  you  do  not 
blame  me,"  he  said  at  last  with  an  effort. 


246  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  I  do  not  blame  yon,"  said  Landless. 

Woodson  appeared  in  the  doorway.  "  The  Gov 
ernor  is  waiting,  Major  Carrington." 

"  If  I  can  do  ought  to  help  you,  I  will,"  said  Car 
rington  hastily,  and  left  the  room.  A  moment  later 
came  the  jingling  of  reins  and  the  sound  of  rapid 
hoofs  quickening  into  the  planter's  pace  as  the  Gov 
ernor  and  the  Surveyor-General  whirled  away. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A   MESSAGE 

IN  an  unused  attic  room  of  the  great  house  lay 
Godfrey  Landless,  cords  about  his  ankles,  and  his 
arras  bound  to  his  sides  by  cords  and  by  a  thick  rope, 
one  end  of  which  was  fastened  to  a  beam  on  the  wall. 
He  was  alone,  for  the  Muggletonian,  Havisham  and 
Trail  were  confined  in  the  overseer's  house.  Oppo 
site  him  was  a  small  window  framing  a  square  of  sky. 
He  had  watched  light  clouds  drift  across  it,  and  the 
sun  pass  slowly  and  majestically  down  it,  and  the 
sunset  turn  the  clouds  into  floating  blood-red  plumes. 
He  had  been  there  since  noon.  Thick  walls  kept  from 
him  all  sound  in  the  house  below  —  it  might  have 
been  a  house  of  the  dead.  Through  the  closed  win 
dow  came  the  low,  incessant  hum  of  the  summer 
world  without,  but  no  unusual  noise.  He  had  heard 
the  sunset  horn,  and  the  song  of  the  slaves  coming 
from  the  fields,  and  as  dusk  began  to  fall,  the  cry  of 
a  whip-poor-will. 

When  the  door  had  closed  upon  the  retreating 
figures  of  the  men  who  brought  him  there,  he  had 
thrown  himself  upon  the  floor  where  he  lay,  faint 
from  physical  anguish,  in  a  stupor  of  misery,  con 
scious  only  of  a  sick  longing  for  death.  This  mood 
had  passed  and  he  was  himself  again. 

As  he  lay  with  his  eyes  following  the  fiery,  shifting 
feathers  of  cloud,  he  remembered  that  the  gaol  at 


248  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Jamestown  faced  the  south,  and  he  thought,  "  This 
is  the  last  sunset  I  shall  ever  see."  He  had  the  strong 
abiding  faith  of  his  time  and  party,  and  he  looked  be 
yond  the  clouds  with  an  awe  and  a  light  in  his  eyes. 
Verses  learnt  at  his  mother's  knee  came  back  to  him  ; 
he  said  them  over  to  himself,  and  the  tender,  solemn, 
beneficent  words  fell  like  balm  upon  his  troubled 
heart.  He  thought  of  his  mother  who  had  died  young, 
and  then  of  scenes  and  occurrences  of  his  childhood. 
All  earthly  hope  was  past,  there  could  be  no  more 
struggling  ;  in  a  little  while  he  would  be  dead.  Dy 
ing,  his  mind  reverted,  not  to  the  sordid  misery  from 
which  death  would  set  him  free,  but  to  the  long  past, 
to  the  child  at  the  mother's  knee,  to  the  boy  who  had 
climbed  down  great  cliffs  in  search  of  a  smuggler's 
cave.  The  unearthly  light  that  rests  upon  that  time 
so  far  behind  us  shone  strong  for  him  —  he  saw  every 
twig  in  the  rooks'  nests  in  the  lofty  elms,  every  ivy 
leaf  about  a  ruined  oriel,  black  against  a  gold  sky ; 
the  cool,  dark  smell  of  the  box  alleys  filled  his  nos 
trils  ;  the  sound  of  the  sea  came  to  him  ;  he  heard  his 
mother  singing  on  the  terrace.  He  bowed  his  face 
with  a  sudden  rain  of  tender,  not  sorrowful,  tears. 

Something  crashed  in  at  the  window,  splintering 
the  coarse  glass  and  falling  upon  the  floor  at  a  little 
distance  from  him.  It  was  a  large  pebble,  to  which 
was  tied  a  piece  of  paper.  He  started  up  and  made 
for  it,  to  be  brought  up  within  two  feet  of  it  by  the 
tug  of  the  rope  which  bound  him  to  the  wall.  He 
thought  a  moment,  then  lay  down  upon  the  floor  and 
found  that  he  could  touch  the  end  of  the  string  that 
tied  the  paper  to  the  pebble.  He  took  it  between  his 
teeth  and  slowly  drew  it  towards  him,  then,  rising  to 
his  knees,  he  strained  with  all  his  might  at  the  cords 


A  MESSAGE  249 

that  bound  his  arms.  They  were  tightly  drawn,  but 
when  at  length  he  desisted,  panting,  he  had  so 
loosened  them  that  he  could  move  one  hand  a  very 
little  way.  With  it  and  with  his  teeth  he  disengaged 
the  paper  from  the  pebble  and  spread  it  upon  his 
knee.  There  was  just  light  enough  to  read  the 
sprawling  schoolboy  hand  with  which  it  was  covered. 
It  ran  thus  :  — 

"  I  don't  know  as  this  will  ever  reach  you.  I  am 
doing  all  I  can.  Luiz  Sebastian  has  not  let  me  get  at 
arm's  length  from  him  since  I  overheard  him  and  the 
Turk,  and  a  sailor  from  Captain  Laramore's  ship  and 
Roach  at  the  hut  on  the  marsh,  two  hours  ago.  They 
would  have  killed  me  there,  but  I  ran,  and  he  did  not 
catch  me  until  I  was  almost  to  the  quarters.  He 
will  kill  me  though  in  a  little  while,  I  know ;  he  has  a 
knife  and  he  is  sitting  on  the  door-step,  and  the  Turk 
is  with  him,  and  I  can  not  pass  them.  He  held  his 
hand  over  my  mouth  and  the  knife  to  my  heart  when 
Woodson  went  the  rounds,  and  I  could  n't  make  no 
sound  —  Lord  have  mercy  upon  me !  I  write  this 
with  my  blood,  on  a  leaf  from  your  Bible,  while  he 
sits  there  whispering  to  the  Turk.  He  goes  to  his 
own  cabin  directly  and  he  will  take  me  with  him  and 
kill  me  there,  I  know  he  will.  He  goes  to  the  stables 
first  and  I  must  go  with  him.  If  we  pass  close 
enough,  and  if  I  can  do  it  without  his  seeing  me  I 
will  throw  this  in  at  the  window  of  the  room  where 
I  know  you  are,  if  not  —  the  Lord  help  us  all !  ... 
Landless,  for  God's  sake !  before  moonrise  to-night 
the  Chickahominies  and  the  liicahecrians  from  the 
Blue  Mountains  will  come  down  011  the  plantation. 
With  them  are  leagued  Luiz  Sebastian,  the  Turk, 
Trail,  Roach,  and  most  of  the  slaves.  .  .  .  When  all 


250  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

is  over,  the  Indians  will  take  the  scalps  and  Grey 
Wolf  and  will  make  for  the  Blue  Mountains ;  Luiz 
Sebastian  and  the  others  will  seize  the  boats  and  put 
off  for  the  ship  at  the  Point.  Her  crew  will  give  her 
up  and  they  will  all  turn  pirate  together.  The  women 
go  with  them  if  they  can  keep  them  from  the  Indians ; 
the  men  are  all  to  be  killed.  ...  I  have  told  you  all 
I  heard.  For  God's  sake,  save  them  if  you  can,  — 
and  remember  poor  Dick  Whittington." 

Dropping  the  paper,  Landless  strained  with  all  his 
might,  first  at  the  cords  which  bound  his  arms,  and 
then  at  the  rope  which  fastened  him  to  the  wall. 
Again  and  again  he  put  forth  the  strength  of  despair 
—  his  muscles  cracked,  great  beads  stood  upon  his 
forehead  —  but  the  ropes  held.  As  well  as  he  could 
with  his  shackled  feet  he  stamped  upon  the  floor  ;  he 
called  aloud,  but  there  came  no  answering  voice  or 
sound  from  below.  He  was  at  the  end  of  the  house 
over  unused  chambers,  and  the  walls  and  flooring 
were  very  thick.  He  clenched  his  teeth  and  began 
again  the  battle  with  the  cords  which  held  him.  All 
in  vain.  He  shouted  until  he  was  hoarse  —  it  was 
crying  aloud  in  a  desert.  With  a  groan  he  leaned 
against  the  wall,  gathering  strength  for  another  effort. 
It  was  dark  now  and  the  moon  rose  at  eleven.  .  .  . 
There  was  a  piece  of  glass  upon  the  floor,  one  of 
the  splinters  from  the  shattered  window.  He  remem 
bered  noticing  it — a  long  narrow  piece  like  the  blade 
of  a  knife.  Sinking  to  his  knees  he  felt  for  it,  and 
after  a  long  time  found  it.  He  now  had  a  knife,  but 
he  could  not  move  the  hand  that  held  it  six  inches 
from  his  side.  Stooping,  he  took  the  splinter  between 
his  teeth,  and  making  the  rope  taut,  drew  the  sharp 
edge  of  the  glass  across  it.  Again  and  again  he  drew 


A  MESSAGE  251 

it  across,  and  at  length  he  perceived  that  a  strand 
was  severed.  With  a  thrill  of  joy  he  settled  to  the 
slow,  laborious  and  painful  task.  Time  passed,  a 
long,  long  time,  and  yet  the  rope  was  but  half  severed. 
As  he  worked  he  counted  the  moments  with  fever 
ish  dread,  his  heart  throbbed  one  passionate  prayer : 
"  Lord,  let  me  save  her  !  "  Now  and  then  he  glanced 
at  the  blackness  of  the  night  outside  with  a  terrible 
fear  —  though  he  knew  it  could  not  be  yet  —  that  he 
should  see  it  waver  into  moonlight.  Another  interval 
of  toil,  and  he  stood  erect,  gathered  his  forces,  made 
one  supreme  effort  —  and  was  free  !  There  was  not 
time  for  the  cords  about  his  arms,  but  he  must  get 
rid  of  those  which  fettered  his  ankles.  An  endless 
task  it  seemed,  but  hand  and  friendly  splinter  accom 
plished  it  at  last ;  and  he  sprang  to  the  door.  It  was 
locked.  He  dashed  himself  against  it,  once,  twice, 
thrice,  and  it  crashed  outwards,  precipitating  him 
into  a  large,  bare  room.  He  crossed  this,  managed 
to  open  its  unlocked  door  with  his  free  hand,  de 
scended  a  winding  stair  and  came  into  the  upper 
hall.  It  was  in  darkness,  but  up  the  wide  staircase 
streamed  the  perfumed  light  of  many  myrtle  candles, 
and  with  it  laughter,  and  the  sound  of  a  man's  voice 
singing  to  a  lute. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE   ROAD    TO    PARADISE 

THE  family  and  guests  of  Verney  Manor  were  as 
sembled  in  the  great  room.  The  day  had  been  one  of 
confusion,  haste  and  anxiety ;  but  it  was  past,  and  the 
stillness  and  forced  inaction  of  the  night  was  upon 
them.  With  the  readiness  of  those  to  whom  danger  is 
no  novelty  they  seized  the  hour  and  made  the  most  of 
it.  Sufficient  unto  the  morrow  was  the  evil  thereof. 

The  Colonel,  weary  from  hard  riding,  but  well  satis 
fied  with  his  afternoon's  wrork,  had  sunk  into  a  great 
chair  and  challenged  Dr.  Anthony  Nash  to  a  game  of 
chess.  "  Everything  is  in  train,"  he  told  them,  "  and 
all  quiet  upon  the  plantations  in  this  shire  at  least.  I 
believe  the  danger  past.  God  be  thanked  !  "  Upon 
a  settle  piled  with  cushions  lay  Captain  Laramore, 
with  a  bandaged  shoulder,  a  long  pipe  between  his 
teeth,  and  at  his  elbow  a  tankard  of  sack  and  an 
elderly  Hebe  in  the  person  of  Mistress  Lettice  Verney. 
Patricia,  sumptuously  clad  and  beautiful  as  a  dream, 
sat  in  the  great  window  with  Betty  and  Sir  Charles. 
Her  eyes  shone  with  a  feverish  brilliancy,  her  white 
hands  were  never  still,  she  laughed  and  jested  with 
her  lover,  touching  this  or  that  with  light  wit.  Once 
or  twice  she  broke  into  song,  rich,  passionate,  throb 
bing  through  the  night.  The  gentle  Betty  looked  at 
her  in  wonder,  but  Sir  Charles  was  enchanted. 

Steps  sounded  on  the  stairs  and  in  the  hall.     "  Who 


THE   ROAD   TO   PARADISE  253 

is  that  ?  "  cried  the  master,  taking  his  hand  from  his 
rook. 

"  The  overseer,  probably,"  said  Dr.  Nash.  "  Check 
to  your  king." 

A  loud  scream  from  Mistress  Lettice.  The  master 
leaped  to  his  feet,  knocking  over  the  chess-table  and 
sending  the  pieces  rattling  into  corners.  Sir  Charles, 
drawing  his  rapier,  sprang  to  his  side,  the  wounded 
Captain  started  up  from  amidst  his  pillows  and  the 
divine  snatched  a  brass  andiron  from  the  fireplace. 

Framed  in  the  doorway,  looking  larger  than  life 
against  the  blackness  of  the  space  behind  him,  stood 
the  arch  plotter,  the  Roundhead,  the  convict,  the  re 
bellious  servant  whom  the  Governor  had  sworn  to 
hang.  Blood  dropped  from  his  face,  cut  by  the  glass 
with  which  he  had  severed  the  rope,  to  meet  the  blood 
upon  his  arms  and  chest,  lacerated  by  his  savage 
straining  at  his  bonds.  For  a  moment  he  stood, 
blinded  by  the  light,  then  advanced  into  the  room. 
His  master  seized  him.  "  Still  bound ! "  he  cried 
with  an  oath.  "  He  is  alone  then  !  How  did  you  get 
here?  What  are  you  doing  here?  Speak,  scoun 
drel!" 

"  I  bring  you  this  paper,  sir,"  said  Landless 
hoarsely.  "  Will  you  take  it  from  me.  I  cannot  raise 
my  hands." 

The  Colonel  snatched  the  paper,  glanced  at  it,  read 
it  with  a  face  from  which  all  the  ruddy  color  had  fled, 
and  held  it  out  to  Sir  Charles  with  a  shaking  hand. 
"  Head  it,"  he  gasped.  "  Read  it  aloud,"  and  sank 
into  his  chair  breathing  heavily. 

Sir  Charles  read.  "  Damnation  !  "  he  cried,  crush 
ing  the  paper  in  his  hand.  Laramore  started  up 
with  a  roar  of  "  My  ship  !  "  and  then  broke  into  a 


254  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

torrent  of  oaths.  Mistress  Lettice's  screams  filled 
the  room  until  her  brother  roughly  silenced  her  by 
clapping-  his  hand  over  her  mouth.  "  By  the  Lord 
Harry,  Lettice,  I  will  throw  you  out  to  them  if  you 
do  not  hush !  Gentlemen,  in  God's  name,  what  are 
we  to  do  ?  " 

"  Barricade  door  and  window  and  hold  the  house 
against  them,"  said  the  baronet. 

"  Send  for  help  to  Rosemead  and  to  Fitzhugh  and 
Ludwell!"  cried  the  divine. 

"  Five  men  and  three  women  to  hold  this  house 
against  a  hundred  Indians  and  negroes !  And  no 
help  could  come  for  hours  and  it  is  now  nearly  ten ! 
Moreover,  the  messenger  would  have  to  pass  through 
the  savages  lying  in  the  woods,  —  he  would  never 
reach  Rosemead  with  his  scalp  on  !  " 

"  I  will  be  your  messenger,"  said  Nash  rising,  "  and 
as  every  moment  is  more  precious  than  rubies,  I  had 
best  start  at  once." 

"  You,  Anthony  !  God  forbid !  "  cried  the  Colonel. 
"  You  would  go  to  certain  death." 

"I  would  stay  to  certain  death,  would  I  not?  "  re 
torted  the  other.  "  But  my  mare,  Pixie,  and  I  can 
shew  clean  heels  to  the  red  villains,  were  they  as  thick 
as  chinquepins.  Give  me  the  stable-key,  Verney.  I 
know  the  way  to  the  jade's  stall,  and  she  will  follow 
her  master  through  fire  and  water  without  a  whinny. 
I  don't  want  a  light.  Xot  a  soul  on  the  place  must 
know  that  I  have  left  Verney  Manor." 

"  Anthony,  Anthony,  I  am  loth  to  see  you  go,  old 
friend  !  "  cried  the  Colonel. 

"  Tut,  tut,  as  well  leave  my  scalp  in  the  woods  as 
in  Dick  Verney's  parlor !  but  I  shall  do  neither. 
Hold  the  house  as  long  as  you  can,  and  look  for  Car- 


THE   ROAD   TO   PARADISE  255 

rington,  and  Fitzhugh,  and  Ludwell,  and  myself  with 
a  hundred  men  at  our  heels  before  the  dawn.  Until 
then  vale." 

lie  was  gone.  "  And  now  the  doors  and  windows," 
said  Sir  Charles. 

"  The  windows,  save  those  in  this  room,  are  secured 
as  they  always  are  at  night.  The  shutters  are  heavy 
and  strongly  barred,  and  we  have  but  to  draw  the 
chains  across  the  doors.  They  will  find  it  hard  work 
to  fire  the  house,  for  the  logs  are  wet  from  this  morn 
ing's  shower.  There  is  ammunition  enough,  and  the 
shutters  are  loopholed.  If  we  were  in  force,  we  might 
hold  out,  but,  my  God  !  what  can  we  do  ?  Even  with 
the  overseers  whom  we  must  manage  to  call  to  us,  if 
we  can  do  so  without  arousing  suspicion,  we  are  not 
enough  to  defend  one  face  of  the  house." 

"  Are  there  no  honest  servants  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  tell  the  true  men  from  the  knaves  ? 
To  rouse  the  quarters  would  be  to  show  that  we  know, 
and  to  ourselves  spring  the  mine  which  is  to  destroy 
us.  And  if  we  brought  men  into  the  house,  who  are 
leagued  with  the  fiends  outside,  then  would  their 
work  be  done  for  them.  There  are  a  very  few  whom 
I  know  to  be  faithful,  but  how  to  secure  them  without 
giving  the  alarm  —  my  God  !  how  helpless  we  are  !  " 

"  Perhaps  I  can  help  you,  Colonel  Verney,"  said 
Landless. 

In  the  midst  of  a  dead  silence  the  eyes  of  each  oc 
cupant  of  the  room,  —  the  master,  the  courtier,  the 
wounded  captain,  the  women,  trembling  in  each 
other's  arms,  —  were  turned  upon  the  speaker  who 
stood  before  them,  haggard,  torn  and  bleeding,  but 
with  a  quiet  power  in  his  dark  face  and  steadfast 
eyes. 


256  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  You  ?  "  said  the  master  sternly.  "  What  can  you 
do?" 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Landless,  "  but  I  must  be 
freed  from  these  bonds  first." 

Another  pause,  and  then  Sir  Charles,  responding  to 
a  nod  from  his  kinsman,  walked  over  to  Landless,  and 
with  his  rapier  cut  the  ropes  which  bound  him. 

"  Now  speak  !  "  said  the  Colonel. 

The  quarters  lay,  to  all  appearance,  wrapt  in  the 
prof oundest  slumber  —  no  movement  in  the  low-browed 
cabins,  or  in  the  lane  or  square  ;  no  sound  other  than 
the  croak  of  the  frogs  in  the  marshes,  the  wail  of  the 
whip-poor-wills,  and  the  sighing  of  the  night  wind  in 
the  pines.  All  was  dark  save  in  the  east,  where  the 
low  stars  were  beginning  to  pale.  Below  them  glowed 
a  dull  red  spark,  shining  dimly  across  a  long  expanse 
of  black  marsh  and  water,  and  coming  from  Captain 
Laramore's  ship,  anchored  off  the  Point. 

One  moment  it  seemed  the  only  light  in  the  wide 
landscape  of  darkness ;  the  next  the  flame  of  a  torch, 
streaming  sidewise  in  the  wind,  cast  an  orange  glare 
upon  the  dead  tree  in  the  centre  of  the  square  and 
upon  the  windowless  fronts  of  the  cabins  surrounding 
it.  The  torch  was  in  the  hand  of  the  overseer,  who 
went  the  rounds,  striking  upon  each  door,  and  sum 
moning  the  inmates  of  the  cabin  to  the  square.  "  The 
master  wants  a  word  with  you,"  was  all  the  answer 
he  vouchsafed  to  startled,  sullen,  or  suspicious  in 
quiries.  In  five  minutes  the  square  was  thronged. 
White  and  black,  servant  and  slave,  rustic,  convict, 
Jew,  Turk,  Indian,  mulatto,  quadroon,  coal  black,  un 
tamed  African  —  the  motley  crowd  pressed  and  jostled 
towards  that  end  of  the  square  at  which  stood  the 


THE   ROAD  TO   PARADISE  257 

master,  his  kinsman,  the  overseer,  and  Godfrey  Land 
less.  Behind  them  on  the  steps  of  the  overseer's 
house  were  the  Muggletonian,  Havisham,  and  Trail. 
They  had  been  unbound.  In  the  Muggletonian's 
scarred  face  was  stolid  indifference,  but  Trail  looked 
furtively  about  until  he  spied  Luiz  Sebastian,  when 
he  signaled  "•  What  is  it?"  with  his  eyes.  The  mu 
latto  shook  his  head,  and  continued  to  shoulder  his 
way  through  the  press  until  he  stood  in  the  front  row, 
face  to  face  with  the  party  from  the  great  house.  On 
one  side  of  him  was  the  Turk,  on  the  other  an  Indian. 

The  master  stepped  a  pace  or  two  in  front  of  his 
companions,  and  held  up  his  hand  for  silence.  When 
the  excited  muttering  had  sunk  into  a  breathless  hush, 
he  beckoned  to  Landless,  and  the  young  man  stepped 
to  his  side.  There  were  many  streaming  lights  by 
now,  and  men  saw  each  other,  now  clearly,  now  darkly, 
as  the  fitful  glare  rose  and  fell. 

"Now,  my  man,"  said  the  master  in  a  loud,  slow 
voice,  "  you  will  point  out  to  me,  as  you  have  agreed 
to  do,  every  man  concerned  in  the  plot  discovered  this 
morning.  And  you  whom  he  designates,  I  command 
you,  in  the  name  of  the  King,  to  surrender  peaceably. 
Your  hope  of  pardon  depends  upon  your  doing  so. 
Now,  Landless !  " 

"  .John  Havisham,"  said  Landless. 

"Taken  redhanded,"  quoth  the  master.  "  Place  him 
here,  Woodson,  in  front  of  us.  When  all  are  in  line, 
I  shall  have  a  word  to  say  to  them." 

Havisham  advanced  with  quiet  dignity,  passing 
Landless  as  if  unaware  of  his  presence.  "  I  surren 
der,"  he  said,  raising  his  voice,  "  because  I  have  no 
choice.  And  I  advise  those  of  our  number  here  pre 
sent  to  do  the  same.  Our  plans  known,  our  friends 


253  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

taken,  betrayed  and  deserted  by  the  man  in  whom  we 
trusted  most,  whom  we  called  our  leader,  we  have, 
indeed,  no  choice." 

"  Win-Grace  Porringer,"  said  Landless. 

The  Muggletonian  threw  up  his  arms.  "  Iscariot !  " 
he  cried  wildly.  "  Woe,  woe  to  him  by  whom  offenses 
come  !  Well  for  thee,  son  of  Warham  Landless,  hadst 
thou  never  been  born !  By  the  power  given  to  the 
Two  Witnesses  and  to  their  followers  I  curse  thee ! 
Thou  shalt  be  anathema  maranatha !  Famine,  thirst, 
and  a  violent  death  be  thy  portion  in  this  life,  and 
in  the  world  to  come  mayest  thou  burn  forever, 
howling !  Amen  and  amen  !  "  With  a  wild  laugh  he 
stalked  to  the  side  of  Havisham,  leaving  Trail  stand 
ing  alone  upon  the  doorstep.  The  eyes  of  the  forger 
met  the  eyes  of  Luiz  Sebastian  in  another  puzzled  in 
quiry,  but  the  latter  shook  his  head  with  a  frown. 
Not  doubting  that  his  name  would  be  the  next  called, 
Trail  had  already  taken  a  step  forward,  but  Landless's 
eyes  passed  him  over,  and  rested  upon  the  face  of  a 
man  standing  near  Luiz  Sebastian. 

"  John  Robert !  "  he  cried. 

The  man,  a  Baptist  preacher  suffering  under  the 
Act  of  Uniformity,  turned  a  gentle,  reproachful  face 
upon  him,  and  stepping  from  the  crowd,  joined  him 
self  to  Havisham  and  the  Muggletonian. 

"  James  Holt !  "  said  Landless. 

A  rustic,  standing  behind  Luiz  Sebastian,  uttered  a 
dreadful  imprecation.  "  You  may  hang  me  and  wel 
come,  your  Honor,"  he  cried  as  he  took  his  place.  "  if 
you  '11  just  let  me  see  this  d — d  Judas  hung  first !  " 

Luiz  Sebastian  fixed  his  great  eyes  upon  Landless. 
"  If  he  calls  my  name,"  said  the  wicked  brain  behind 
the  blandly  smiling  face,  "  shall  I,  or  shall  I  not  —  ? 
It  is  many  minutes  to  moonrise  yet." 


THE   ROAD   TO   PARADISE  259 

But  Landless  did  not  call  him.  He  passed  him  by 
as  he  had  passed  Trail,  and  named  another  rustic  at 
some  little  distance  from  the  mulatto,  then  a  Fifth 
Monarchy  man,  then  a  veteran  of  Cromwell's,  then 
the  plantation  miller  and  the  carpenter,  then  two  more 
Oliverians,  then  more  peasants.  Each  man,  as  his 
name  was  called,  stepped  forward  into  the  lengthening 
line  that  faced  the  master  and  his  party,  standing  with 
pistols  leveled  and  cocked ;  and  each  man  bestowed 
upon  Godfrey  Landless  a  curse,  or  a  look  that  was 
bitterer  than  a  curse. 

"  Humfrey  Elder  !  "  called  Landless. 

The  old  butler  shot  from  out  the  crowd,  as  though 
impelled  from  a  catapult.  "  Your  Honor ! "  he 
screamed,  "  the  man  as  says  /  plot  against  a  Verney, 
lies  !  I  that  fought  with  your  Honor  at  Naseby  !  I 
that  you  brought  from  home  with  you  when  Mistress 
Patricia  was  a  baby,  and  that  has  poured  your  wine 
from  that  day  to  this !  I  plot  with  these  rapscal 
lions  and  Roundheads !  Your  Honor,  he  lies  in  his 
throat ! " 

"  Fall  into  line,  Humfrey,"  said  his  master  quietly ; 
"  I  will  hear  you  out  later,  but  now,  obey  me." 

The  watchful  eyes  of  Luiz  Sebastian  were  growing 
very  watchful  indeed. 

"  Regulus  !  "  cried  Landless. 

Under  cover  of  a  burst  of  protestation  from  Regu 
lus,  the  Turk  whispered  to  the  mulatto,  "  By  Allah ! 
this  is  the  slave  you  would  not  approach !  You  said 
he  would  die  for  his  master." 

"  He  is  not  of  them,"  returned  the  other.  "  St. 
Jago !  if  I  understand  it !  But  what  can  it  matter  ? 
The  moon  will  rise  in  less  than  an  hour." 

"  Dick  Whittington  !  "  cried  Landless. 


260  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  broken  by  the  mu 
latto,  who  had  stepped  out  of  line,  and  now  stood 
facing  the  party  from  the  great  house.  "  I  grieve  to 
say,  senors,"  he  said  in  his  silkiest  tone,  "  that  the 
poor  Dick  was  but  now  taken  with  the  fever,  and  lies 
in  a  stupor  within  his  cabin.  To-morrow,  perhaps,  he 
will  be  better,  and  will  answer  when  you  call." 

"  That  is  your  cabin,  just  beyond  you  there,  is  it 
not  ?  "  demanded  Landless. 

"Assuredly,"  with  a  quick  glance.  "And  what 
then  ?  " 

Landless  raised  his  voice  to  a  shout.  "  Dick  Whit- 
tiugton  !  " 

"  Mother  of  God  !  what  do  you  mean?  "  exclaimed 
the  mulatto.  "  Your  voice  cannot  reach  him,  deaf 
and  dumb  from  the  fever,  lying  in  his  cabin  at  the  far 
end  of  the  lane." 

"  Dick  Whittington !  "  again  loudly  called  Land 
less. 

A  cry  arose  from  the  crowd  behind  the  mulatto  and 
between  him  and  his  cabin.  The  next  instant  there 
broke  through  them  the  figure,  bound  and  gagged,  of 
young  Dick  Whittington.  As  he  rushed  past  the 
mulatto,  the  latter,  with  a  snarl  of  fury,  grappled  with 
him,  but  animated  with  the  strength  of  despair,  the 
boy,  bound  as  he  was,  broke  from  him  and  rushed  to 
Landless,  at  whose  feet  he  dropped  in  a  dead  faint. 
Upon  the  crowd  fell  a  silence  so  intense  that  nature 
herself  seemed  to  have  ceased  to  breathe.  Luiz  Se 
bastian,  darting  glances  here,  there,  and  everywhere, 
from  eyes  in  which  doubt  was  fast  growing  into  cer 
tainty,  came  upon  something  which  told  its  own  tale. 
The  women's  cabins  were  at  some  distance  from  the 
square,  and  nearer  to  the  great  house,  and  from  the 


THE   ROAD   TO   PARADISE  261 

one  to  the  other  was  passing  a  hurried  line  of  women 
and  children  with  the  under  overseer  at  their  head. 

With  the  sight  vanished  the  last  remnant  of  doubt 
from  the  mind  of  the  mulatto.  .  .  .  Landless  saw  that 
he  saw ;  saw  the  intention  with  which  he  slipped  out 
of  range  of  the  pistols ;  saw  the  wicked  light  in  his 
face ;  saw  him  beckon  to  the  Indian  and  point  to  the 
forest ;  saw  the  glistening  and  rolling  eyeballs  and 
the  working  lips  of  the  throng  of  slaves  who  had  by 
imperceptible  degrees  separated  from  the  whites,  and 
were  now  massing  together  at  one  side  of  the  square ; 
saw  the  Turk  with  a  knife  in  his  hand  ;  saw  Trail 
edging  away  from  the  group  before  the  overseer's 
cabin  —  and  sprang  forward,  his  powerful  figure  in 
stinct  with  determination,  the  set  calm  of  the  face  with 
which  he  had  met  Havisham's  quiet  disdain  and  the 
imprecations  of  the  other  conspirators,  broken  up  into 
fire  and  passion,  high  and  resolved.  Blood  was  upon 
it  still,  and  upon  his  arms  and  half  naked  breast ;  his 
eyes  burned ;  and  as  he  threw  up  his  arm  in  a  gesture 
of  command,  he  looked  the  very  genius  of  war,  and 
he  seized  and  held  every  eye  and  ear. 

"Men  !"  he  cried,  addressing  himself  to  the  line  he 
had  called  into  being.  "  Havisham,  Arnold,  Allen, 
Braxton  !  we  fought  in  the  same  cause  once,  fought 
for  God  and  the  Commonwealth !  To-night  we  will 
fight  again,  and  together  ;  fight  for  our  lives  and  for 
the  honor  of  women  !  Comrades,  I  am  no  traitor  !  I 
have  not  sold  you  !  You  have  cursed  me  without 
cause.  Listen  !  Colonel  Verney,  will  you  repeat  the 
oath  you  swore  to  me  an  hour  ago  ?  " 

The  master  stepped  to  his  side.  "  I  swear,"  he 
ci-ied,  in  his  loud,  manly  voice,  "  by  the  faith  of  a 
Christian,  by  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,  that  not  one  of 


262  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

you  whose  names  have  been  given  by  this  man,  shall 
in  any  way  suffer  by  having  been  privy  to  this  plot. 
I  will  so  work  with  the  Governor  and  Council  that 
your  bodies  shall  not  be  touched,  nor  your  time  of 
service  increased.  Bygones  shall  be  bygones  between 
us.  This  applies  to  all  save  this  man,  the  head  and 
front  of  the  conspiracy.  Him  I  cannot  save.  He 
must  pay  the  penalty,  but  he  shall  be  the  scapegoat  for 
the  rest  of  you.  You  have  my  promise,  the  promise 
of  a  man  who  never  breaks  his  word  for  good  or  evil." 

"  In  the  woods  yonder  are  Indians,"  cried  Landless. 
"  They  wait  but  for  moonrise,  for  the  appointed  hour, 
to  fall  upon  the  plantation.  You  called  me  traitor ! 
It  is  Luiz  Sebastian  and  Trail  who  are  the  traitors, 
the  betrayers  !  They  are  leagued  with  the  Indians 
and  with  the  slaves.  Look  at  them,  and  see  that  I 
speak  truth !  " 

The  look  was  sufficient.  The  dusky  mass  of  slaves 
had  swayed  forward  with  one  low,  deep,  bestial  growl. 
Crouched  for  the  spring,  they  were  yet  held  in  leash 
by  the  menace  of  the  pistols,  leveled  upon  them  and 
gleaming  in  the  torchlight,  and  by  the  restraining  ges 
ture  and  voice  of  Luiz  Sebastian.  In  the  crowd  of  ser 
vants,  now  quite  separated  from  the  slaves,  was  noise 
and  confusion,  and  behind  the  Turk,  standing  midway 
between  the  parties,  was  forming  a  phalanx  of  villain 
ous  white  faces  —  the  dissolute,  the  convict,  the  refuse 
of  the  plantation,  —  and  at  his  side,  suddenly  as 
though  sprung  from  the  earth,  appeared  the  evil  face 
and  red  hair  of  the  murderer  of  Robert  Godwyn. 

The  silence  of  the  Oliverians,  stricken  dumb  by  this 
new  turn  of  affairs,  was  broken  by  Havisham's  crying 
to  Landless,  — 

"  What  are  we  to  do,  friend  ?  " 


THE   ROAD   TO   PARADISE  263 

"  Make  for  the  house  and  defend  it  and  our  lives," 
answered  Landless,  "  but  first  I  call  upon  all  true  men 
among  you  yonder  to  leave  those  murderers  and  join 
yourselves  to  us." 

"  In  the  name  of  the  King !  "  cried  the  Colonel. 

"  In  the  name  of  God !  "  said  Landless. 

Some  seven  or  eight  broke  from  the  opposite  throng 
and  with  lowered  heads  ran  to  them  across  the  open 
space.  Landless  stooped,  and  lifting  the  senseless 
figure  at  his  feet  swung  it  over  his  shoulder. 

"  We  are  ready,  Colonel  Verney.  Steady,  men ! 
Follow  me  !  "  He  turned  to  the  great  house,  rising 
vast  and  dark,  two  hundred  yards  away. 

A  gigantic,  coal  black  Ashantee  chief  broke  from 
the  throng  opposite  and,  uttering  his  war  cry,  bounded 
across  the  space  between  them.  Another  instant  and 
he  would  have  been  upon  them,  and  close  after  him  a 
yelling  pack  of  hell  hounds  —  the  overseer's  pistol 
cracked,  and  the  black  giant  fell  dead.  A  yell  arose 
from  the  crowd,  but  they  stood  irresolute.  For  fire 
arms,  so  strictly  kept  from  servants  and  slaves,  so  pre 
eminently  pertaining  to  the  dominant  class,  they  had 
a  superstitious  dread.  Four  pistols  meant  four  lives 
picked  from  the  foremost  to  advance. 

"  Let  them  go,"  cried  the  mulatto,  with  a  taunting 
laugh.  "  Let  them  go  !  Let  them  go  cage  themselves 
in  wooden  walls  where  we  will  take  them  all  together 
—  rats  in  a  trap.  We  will  wait  for  the  Chickahomi- 
nies  who  have  guns,  seiiors,  and  for  the  Ricahecrians 
whose  scalping  knives  are  very  bright.  Until  moon- 
rise,  seiiors  from  the  great  house,  and  you  others  who 
go  with  them  !  Mother  of  God !  look  well  upon  it, 
for  it  is  the  last  you  will  ever  see  !  " 

Fifteen    minutes   later   saw  the   house  of   Verney 


264  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

Manor  garrisoned  by  some  thirty  desperate  men. 
They  had  entered  to  find  a  scene  of  confusion  —  the 
hall  and  lower  rooms  filled  with  frightened  women 
and  crying  children.  Patricia  with  white  cheeks  and 
brilliant  eyes  had  come  forward  to  meet  her  father, 
carrying  a  three  days'  child  in  her  arms.  Beyond 
her  was  Betty,  bending  her  sweet,  pale  face  over  the 
mother,  caught  up  from  her  pallet  and  carried  to  the 
house  in  the  arms  of  the  under  overseer.  Mistress 
Lettice  was  alternately  wailing  that  they  were  all 
undone  and  murdered,  and  wringing  her  hands  over 
the  obstinacy  of  Captain  Laramore  who,  rapier  in 
left  hand,  would  stand  guard  at  the  door,  instead  of 
keeping  quiet  as  the  Doctor  had  said  he  must.  The 
master's  stern  command  for  silence  reduced  the  clamor 
of  women  and  children  to  an  undertone  of  lamentation. 
"  We  must  to  work  at  once,"  he  said,  "  and  apportion 
our  forces.  There  are  about  thirty  men,  are  there  not, 
Woodson  ?  I  shall  take  the  front  with  ten  ;  Charles, 
thou  shalt  have  one  side,  Woodson  the  other,  and 
Haines  the  back.  Laramore,  thou  must  let  us  fight 
for  thee,  man,  though  I  know  thou  findest  it  a  bitter 
pill.  Do  you  marshal  the  men,  Woodson,  and  divide 
them  into  four  parties,  one  for  each  face,  and  tell  the 
women  to  leave  off  their  whimpering  and  prepare  to 
load  the  muskets.  Haines,  have  the  arms  taken  down 
from  the  racks  and  distribute  them.  Men  and  women, 
one  and  all,  you  are  to  remember  that  you  are  fighting 
for  your  lives  and  for  more  than  your  lives.  You 
know  what  you  have  to  expect  if  you  are  taken." 

Sir  Charles,  followed  by  Landless,  the  Muggle- 
tonian  and  some  three  or  four  others,  entered  the 
great  room,  which,  with  the  master's  room,  occupied 
that  side  of  the  house  allotted  to  the  baronet.  The 


THE  ROAD   TO   PARADISE  265 

wax  candles  still  burned  upon  the  spinet,  and  upon 
the  high  mantel,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  lay  the 
overturned  chess  table.  Three  of  the  four  windows 
were  closely  shuttered,  but  the  fourth  was  open,  and 
before  it  stood  a  graceful  figure,  looking  out  into  the 
darkness. 

Sir  Charles  strode  hurriedly  over  to  it.  "  Cousin  ! 
this  is  madness !  You  know  not  to  what  danger  you 
may  be  exposing  yourself.  Come  away !  " 

"I  am  watching  for  the  moonrise,"  she  said 
dreamily.  "  It  is  very  near  now.  Look  at  the  white 
glow  above  the  water,  and  how  pale  the  stars  are ! 
How  beautiful  it  is,  and  how  cool  the  wind  upon  your 
forehead  !  Listen  !  that  was  the  cry  of  a  jay,  surely ! 
and  yet  why  should  we  hear  it  at  night  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  cry  of  a  jay,  sure  enough,"  said  the  over 
seer,  pausing  in  his  hurried  passage  through  the  room, 
"  but  it  was  made  by  Indian  lips." 

"  Come  away,  for  God's  sake  !  "  cried  the  baronet. 

"  Look  !  there  is  the  moon  !  "  she  answered. 

Above  the  level  of  marsh  and  water  appeared  a  thin 
line  of  silver.  It  thickened,  rounded,  became  a  glo 
rious  orb.  The  marshes  blanched  from  black  to 
gray,  and  across  the  water,  from  the  dim  land  to  the 
great  silver  globe,  stretched  a  long,  bright,  shimmering 
path. 

A  knot  of  women  appeared  in  the  doorway,  laden 
with  powder-flasks  and  platters  filled  with  bullets. 
One,  with  only  a  stick  wound  with  faded  flowers  in 
her  hand,  left  them  and  glided  to  the  open  window. 

"  Margery !  "  said  Patricia  softly. 

The  mad  woman,  pressing  in  front  of  her  mistress, 
looked  out  into  the  night  and  saw  the  white  shinin<r 

o  o 

road  cutting  through  the  darkness  and  stretching  end- 


266  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

lessly  away.  She  threw  up  her  arms  with  a  cry  of 
rapture. 

"  The  road  to  Paradise  !  the  road  to  Paradise  !  " 

An  arrow  whistled  through  the  window  and  struck 
into  her  bosom  —  into  her  heart  —  the  staff  dropped 
from  her  hand,  and  she  swayed  forward  and  fell  at 
her  mistress's  feet. 

The  night,  so  placid,  still  and  beautiful,  was  rent 
and  in  an  instant  made  hideous  by  a  sound  so  long, 
loud,  and  dreadful,  that  it  might  have  been  the  shriek 
of  a  legion  of  exultant  fiends.  It  rose  to  the  stars, 
sunk  to  the  earth  and  rose  again,  unearthly,  menacing, 
curdling  the  blood  and  turning  the  heart  to  stone. 

"  The  war-whoop,"  said  Woodson.  "  Close  the 
window,  quick." 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

NIGHT 

THAT  terrible  cadence  preluded  pandemonium,  the 
hush  of  horror  that  followed  it  being  broken  by  one 
deep  and  awful  roar  of  voices  as  the  insurgents,  red, 
white,  and  black,  joined  forces  and  swept  down  upon 
the  devoted  house. 

"They  will  try  the  front  first,"  quoth  the  master 
from  his  loophole.  "  Steady,  men,  until  I  give  the 
word  !  Now,  let  them  have  it  with  a  wannion  !  " 

The  muskets  cracked  and  a  louder  yell  arose  from 
without. 

"  Two,"  said  the  master  composedly,  receiving  a 
fresh  musket  from  his  daughter's  hand. 

"  They  will  try  to  dash  in  the  door,  your  Honor !  " 
cried  the  overseer  from  his  post  of  observation. 
"  They  have  the  trunk  of  a  pine  with  them." 

"  Let  them  come,"  said  his  master  grimly.  "  They 
will  find  a  warm  welcome." 

A  double  line  of  savages  raised  the  great  trunk 
from  the  ground  and  advanced  with  it  at  a  run,  yelling 
as  they  came.  They  had  reached  the  steps  leading  up 
into  the  porch  when  from  the  loopholed  door  and 
window  within  there  poured  a  deadly  fire.  Three 
fell,  but  the  battering-ram  came  on  and  struck  against 
the  door  with  tremendous  force.  The  door  held,  and 
but  twelve  of  the  twenty  who  had  entered  the  porch 
returned  to  their  fellows. 


268  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  They  won't  try  that  again,"  said  the  master  with 
a  short  laugh. 

"  They  are  dividing,"  cried  the  overseer.  "  They 
will  surround  the  house.  Every  man  to  his  post !  " 

Around  the  corner  of  the  house  to  the  moonlit 
sward  beneath  the  great  room  windows  swept  a  tide  of 
Indians  and  negroes  with  Luiz  Sebastian  and  the  two 
Ricahecrian  brothers  at  their  head.  A  few  of  the 
Indians  had  guns  ;  the  slaves  were  armed  with  axes, 
scythes,  knives  —  the  plunder  of  the  tool  house  —  or 
with  jagged  pieces  of  old  iron,  or  with  oars  taken  from 
the  boats  and  broken  into  'dreadful  clubs.  They 
came  on  with  a  din  that  was  terrific,  the  savages  from 
the  eastern  hemisphere  howling  like  the  beasts  within 
their  native  forests,  those  from  the  western  uttering  at 
intervals  their  sterner,  more  appalling  cry. 

Within  the  great  room  Sir  Charles,  languidly 
graceful  as  ever,  stood  beside  the  small  square  opening 
in  the  door  that  led  down  into  the  garden,  and  fired 
again  and  again  into  the  mob  without.  He  fought 
with  an  air  as  became  the  fine  gentleman  of  the 
period,  but  underneath  the  elaborate  carelessness  of 
demeanor  was  a  cool  precision  of  action.  The  hand 
that  so  nonchalantly  brushed  away  the  grains  of  pow 
der  from  his  white  ruffles,  was  steady  enough  at  the 
trigger  ;  the  eye  that  turned  from  the  red  death  with 
out  to  cast  languishing  glances  at  his  mistress  where 
she  stood  directing  the  women,  was  quick  to  note  the 
minutest  change  in  savage  tactics.  He  jested  as  he 
fought  —  once  he  drew  a  tremulous  wail  of  laughter 
from  Mistress  Lettice's  lips. 

A  bullet  sung  through  the  aperture  and  grazed  his 
arm.  "  The  first  blood,"  he  said,  with  a  laugh. 

"  There 's  a  man  killed   in  the  master's  room  and 


NIGHT  269 

two  in  the  hall !  "  cried  young  Whittington,  from  his 
post  at  the  far  window. 

"  And  Margery,"  said  Patricia,  coming  forward 
with  the  kerchief  from  her  neck  in  her  hand.  "  Let 
me  bind  up  your  wound,  cousin." 

He  held  out  his  arm  with  a  smile  and  a  few  low, 
caressing  words,  and  she  wound  the  lawn  that  was  not 
whiter  than  her  face  about  it ;  then  moved  back  to 
where  the  women  worked,  loading  and  passing  the 
muskets  to  the  men  who  kept  up  an  incessant  fire 
upon  the  assailants. 

The  whole  house  filled  with  smoke  through  which 
the  figures  of  the  besieged  loomed  large  and  indistinct, 
and  the  noise  —  the  crack  of  the  muskets,  the  loud 
commands  and  oaths,  the  scream  of  a  frightened 
woman  or  child,  the  groans  of  the  wounded,  of  whom 
there  were  now  many  —  became  deafening.  The  at 
tack  was  now  general,  and  the  men  on  each  face  had 
their  hands  full.  Without  was  horrible  clamor,  oaths, 
shots,  yells,  crashing  blows  against  door  and  window  ; 
within  was  noise  and  confusion,  and  fear,  stern  and 
controlled,  but  blanching  the  lip  of  the  men  and  show 
ing  in  the  agony  of  the  women's  eyes. 

Sir  Charles,  turning  for  a  fresh  musket,  after  a 
highly  successful  shot  as  the  yell  outside  had  testified, 
found  Patricia  at  his  elbow.  "  There  are  very  few 
bullets  left,  cousin,  and  this  is  all  the  powder." 

The  baronet  drew  in  his  breath.  "  Peste  !  we  are 
unfortunate  !  One  of  you  men  go  beg,  borrow,  or 
steal  from  the  others." 

Landless  left  his  loophole  in  charge  of  the  Muggle- 
tonian  and  went  swiftly  into  the  hall,  where  he  found 
the  master,  his  wig  off,  his  shirt  torn,  his  face  and 
hands  blackened  with  powder,  now  firing  with  his  own 


270  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

hand,  now  shouting  encouragement  to  the  panting 
men. 

"  Powder  and  shot !  "  he  cried.  "  God  help  us  ! 
are  you  out  ?  Not  a  grain  or  a  bullet  can  we  spare, 
for  if  we  keep  them  not  from  the  great  door  we  are 
dead  men  ! " 

Landless  went  to  the  overseer.  "  Two  more  rounds 
and  we  are  out,"  said  Woodson  coolly,  firing  as  he 
spoke. 

"  There  is  no  sign  that  they  have  had  enough," 
said  Landless,  as  the  clamor  outside  redoubled,  and  a 
man  fell  heavily  back  from  his  loophole  with  a  bullet 
through  his  brain. 

"  Enough  !  Damn  them,  no  !  "  said  the  overseer. 
"  When  they  've  had  our  lives  they  will  have  had 
enough  —  not  before  !  They  're  paying  dearly  for 
their  fun  though." 

Landless  went  back  to  the  great  room  with  empty 
hands. 

"  They  are  all  in  like  case,"  he  said,  in  answer  to 
Sir  Charles's  lifted  eyebrows. 

The  other  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  What  will  be, 
will  be.  If  we  could  have  saved  our  fire  —  but  we 
had  to  keep  them  from  the  door  !  Get  to  your  post, 
and  we  will  hold  them  back  as  long  as  may  be.  Then 
a  short  passage  to  eternal  nothingness  !  " 

"  A  short  passage  !  "  muttered  the  Muggletonian  at 
Landless's  ear.  "  Well  for  those  who  find  that  at  the 
hands  of  the  uncircumcised  heathen.  Eternal  nothing 
ness  !  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart  There  is  no  God 
—  and  he  is  being  dashed  headlong  upon  the  judg 
ment  bar  of  the  God  who  saith,  I  will  repay.  Cursed 
be  the  Atheist !  May  he  find  the  passage,  fiery  though 
it  be,  as  nothing  to  the  flames  of  the  avenging  God ; 


NIGHT  271 

may  he  go  to  his  appointed   place  where   the  worm 
dieth  not  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched  ;  may  —  " 

The  trunk  of  a  tree  was  dashed  against  the  door 
with  a  force  that  shook  the  room.  "  Dey  're  comin' !  " 
shouted  Regulus,  who  stood  behind  Sir  Charles,  and 
raised  the  axe  with  which  he  was  armed  above  his 
head.  Another  crash  and  the  wood  splintered. 
Through  the  ragged  opening  was  thrust  a  red  hand  — 
the  axe,  wielded  by  Regulus's  powerful  arms,  flashed 
downwards,  and  the  hand,  severed  at  the  wrist,  fell 
with  a  dull  thud  upon  the  floor.  A  yell  from  without, 
and  another  blow,  widening  the  opening.  Landless 
fired  his  last  bullet  into  the  crowd,  and  clubbing  his 
musket  sprang  to  the  door,  in  front  of  which  were 
now  massed  all  the  defenders  of  that  side  of  the  house. 
Sir  Charles  threw  down  his  useless  musket  and  drew 
his  sword.  "  Cousin,"  he  said  over  his  shoulder  to 
Patricia,  standing  white  and  erect  in  the  midst  of  the 
cowering  women,  "  you  had  best  betake  yourselves  to 
the  hall,  and  that  quickly.  This  will  be  no  ladies' 
bower  presently." 

"  Come,"  said  Patricia  to  the  women,  and  led  the  way 
towards  the  door  leading  into  the  hall.  As  she  passed 
Sir  Charles  she  put  out  her  hand,  and  he  caught  it, 
sunk  to  his  knee,  and  pressed  his  lips  upon  it. 

"  I  am  going  to  my  father,"  she  said  steadily,  "  and 
I  shall  pray  him  as  he  loves  me  to  pass  his  sword 
through  my  heart  when  they  break  into  the  hall.  So 
it  is  farewell,  cousin." 

She  drew  her  hand  away  and  moved  towards  the 
door,  passing  Landless  so  closely  that  her  rich  skirts 
brushed  him,  but  without  a  change  in  the  white  calm 
of  her  face.  The  terrified  women  had  pressed  before 
her  into  the  hall,  only  Betty  Carrington  keeping  by 


272  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

her  side.  Her  foot  was  upon  the  threshold,  when  with 
loud  screams  they  surged  back  into  the  great  room. 
A  thundering  crash  in  the  hall  was  followed  by  a 
babel  of  oaths,  screams,  triumphant  yells.  The  voice 
of  the  master  made  itself  heard  above  all  the  hubbub, 
"  Charles,  Woodson,  Haines,  they  are  upon  us  I  De 
fend  the  women  to  the  last,  as  you  are  men,  all  of 
you!" 

The  splintered  plank  between  them  in  the  great 
room  and  the  murderers  without  was  dashed  inwards. 
An  Indian,  naked,  horribly  painted,  brandishing  a 
tomahawk,  sprang  through  the  opening,  and  Sir 
Charles  ran  him  through  with  his  sword.  A  second 
followed,  and  Landless  dashed  his  brains  out  with  the 
butt  of  his  musket.  A  third,  and  the  Muggletonian 
struck  at  him  through  the  wildly  flaring  light  and  the 
drifting  smoke  wreaths,  and  missed  his  aim.  The  knife 
of  the  savage  gleamed  high  in  air,  then,  descending, 
stuck  quivering  in  the  breast  of  the  fanatic.  He  sunk 
to  his  knees,  flung  up  his  skeleton  arms,  and  raised  his 
scarred  face,  into  which  a  light  that  was  not  of  earth 
had  come,  then  cried  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Turn  ye,  turn 
ye  to  the  Stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  Hope !  "  His  eyes 
closed  and  he  fell  forward  upon  his  face,  his  blood  mak 
ing  the  ground  slippery  about  the  feet  of  the  others. 

Landless  closed  with  the  Indian,  finally  slew  him, 
and  turned  to  behold  a  stream,  impetuous,  not  to  be 
withstood,  of  Indians  and  negroes  pouring  through 
the  doorway.  From  the  hall  came  the  clash  of 
weapons  and  a  most  terrific  din,  and  presently  there 
burst  into  the  great  room  the  Colonel,  Laramore, 
Woodson,  and  Haines,  followed  by  some  fifteen  men 
—  making,  with  the  five  in  the  great  room,  all  that 
were  left  of  the  defenders  of  Verney  Manor. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

MORNING 

THE  women  crouched  in  a  far  corner  of  the  room 
behind  a  barricade  of  chairs  and  tables ;  the  men 
stood  between  them  and  the  thirsters  for  blood,  and 
fought  coolly,  desperately,  with  such  effect  that,  fear 
ful  as  were  the  odds,  a  glimmering  of  hope  came  to 
them.  The  ammunition  on  both  sides  was  exhausted, 
and  it  had  become  a  hand  to  hand  struggle  in  which 
the  advantage  of  position  and  weapons  was  with  the 
assailed. 

"  Damme,  but  we  will  beat  them  yet !  "  cried  Lara- 
more,  panting,  and  leaning  heavily  upon  his  rapier. 
"  They  're  drawing  off  ;  we  've  tired  them  out !  " 

"  They  '11  never  tire  while  that  hellhound  of  an 
Indian  whoops  them  on  and  that  yellow  devil,  Luiz 
Sebastian,  backs  him  up,"  said  the  overseer. 

"  They  are  gathering  for  a  rush,"  said  Landless. 

The  assailants  had  fallen  back  to  the  opposite  wall, 
leaving  a  space,  cumbered  with  the  dead  and  slippery 
with  blood,  between  them  and  the  defenders  of  the 
house.  In  this  space  now  appeared  the  lithe  figure, 
and  the  watchful,  large-eyed,  amber  countenance  of 
Luiz  Sebastian. 

"  Ohe  !  "  he  cried,  "  slaves,  all  of  you  !  Ashantees, 
Popoes,  Angolans,  Fidas,  Malimbe,  Ambrice  !  you 
who  are  all  black !  think  of  the  jungle  and  the 
village  ;  think  of  the  wives  and  the  children  !  think 


274  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

of  the  slaver  and  the  slave  ship !  You  from  the 
Indies,  you  who  are  like  me,  Luiz  Sebastian,  think 
of  the  blood  which  is  the  white  man's  blood  and  yet 
the  blood  of  a  slave  —  and  hate  the  white  man  as 
I,  Luiz  Sebastian,  hate  him  !  Kill  them  and  take 
the  women ! " 

The  swollen  figure  and  dreadful  face  of  Roach  ap 
peared  at  his  side.  "  Ay  !  "  cried  the  murderer,  with 
a  tremendous  oath.  "  Kill  them  !  Smash  them, 
batter  them,  hear  them  scream  !  In  the  old  man's 
pocket  is  the  key  of  his  money  chest.  It  is  filled  with 
bright  yellow  gold.  Kill  him  and  get  the  money,  and 
away  to  turn  pirate  and  get  more !  " 

"  It  grows  late  !  "  cried  Trail.  "  We  must  up  sail, 
and  away  before  the  dawn  !  " 

The  gigantic,  horribly  painted  form  of  the  Ricahe- 
crian  chief  stalked  into  the  open  space  and  commenced 
a  harangue  in  his  own  tongue.  It  was  short,  but  effect 
ive. 

"  God  !  "  said  the  Colonel,  under  his  breath,  and 
grasped  his  blood-stained  sword  more  closely. 

With  one  shrill  and  horrible  cry  Indians,  negroes, 
mulattoes,  and  villainous  whites  were  upon  them, 
breaking  their  line,  forcing  them  apart  into  knots  of 
two  and  three  away  from  the  frail  barrier,  behind 
which  cowered  the  screaming  women,  striking  with 
knife  and  tomahawk,  axe  and  club.  Two  of  the  Colo 
nel's  men  fell,  one  under  the  knife  of  the  seven-year- 
captive  Ricahecrian,  the  other  beaten  down  by  the 
jagged  and  knotted  club  with  which  Roach,  foaming 
at  the  mouth,  and  swearing  horribly,  struck  madly  to 
left  and  right.  The  Ricahecrian,  drawing  the  knife 
from  the  heart  of  his  victim,  rushed  on  to  where  Land 
less  and  Sir  Charles  still  maintained,  by  dint  of  des- 


MORNING  275 

perate  fighting,  their  position  before  the  women,  but 
Luiz  Sebastian  with  Iloach  and  half  a  dozen  negroes 
swept  between  him  and  his  prey.  He  swerved  aside, 
and,  bounding  into  the  midst  of  the  women,  seized  the 
one  who  chanced  to  be  in  his  path,  —  a  young  and 
beautiful  girl,  newly  come  over  from  Plymouth,  and 
a  favorite  with  the  ladies  of  Verney  Manor.  The 
despairing  scream  which  the  poor  child  uttered  rang 
out  above  all  the  tumult.  Landless  turned,  saw,  and 
darted  to  her  aid  —  but  too  late.  With  one  hand  the 
savage  gathered  up  the  loosened  hair,  with  the  other 
he  passed  the  scalping  knife  around  the  young  head  — 
when  Landless  reached  them,  she  who  so  short  time 
before  had  been  so  fair  to  see,  lay  a  shocking  specta 
cle,  writhing  in  her  death  agony.  With  white  lips 
and  burning  eyes  Landless  swung  his  gun  above  his 
head,  and  brought  it  down  upon  the  shaven  crown  of 
Grey  Wolf.  It  cracked  like  an  egg  shell,  and  the 
Indian  dropped  across  the  body  of  his  victim. 

Landless,  springing  back  to  the  post  he  had  quitted, 
found  Sir  Charles  in  desperate  case,  but  as  coolly 
composed  as  ever,  and  with  the  air  of  the  Court  still 
about  him  despite  his  bared  head  and  torn  and  blood 
stained  clothing,  treating  those  who  came  against  him 
to  an  exhibition  of  swordsmanship  such  as  the  New 
World  had  probably  rarely  witnessed.  Landless, 
striking  down  a  cutpurse  from  Tyburn,  saw  him  run 
the  Turk  through,  and  saw  behind  him  the  nightmare 
visage  and  the  raised  club  of  Roach.  He  uttered  a 
warning  cry,  but  the  club  descended,  and  the  hand 
some,  careless  face  fell  backwards,  and  the  slender 
debonair  figure  swayed  and  fell.  Landless  caught 
him,  saw  that  he  was  but  stunned,  and  letting  him 
drop  to  the  floor  at  his  feet,  wrenched  the  sword  from 


276  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

his  hand,  and  stood  over  him,  facing  Roach  with  a 
stern  smile. 

The  murderer  raised  his  club  again. 

"  We  've  met  at  last ! "  he  cried  with  a  taunting 

O 

laugh.  "  Do  you  remember  the  tobacco  house,  and 
what  I  said  ?  I  says  :  '  Every  dog  has  its  day,  and 
I  '11  have  mine.'  It 's  my  day  now  !  " 

"  And  I  said,"  rejoined  Landless,  " '  I  let  you  go 
now,  but  one  day  I  will  kill  you.'  And  that  day  has 
come." 

With  an  oath  Roach  brought  down  the  club.  Land 
less  swerved,  and  the  blow  fell  harmlessly ;  before  the 
arm  could  be  again  raised,  he  caught  it,  held  it  with  a 
grasp  of  steel,  and  shortened  his  sword.  The  mis 
creant  saw  his  death,  and  screamed  for  mercy.  "  Re 
member  Robert  Godwyn  !  "  said  Landless,  and  drove 
the  blade  home. 

The  sword  was  a  more  effective  weapon  than  the 
gun,  and  with  it  he  kept  the  enemy  at  bay,  while  he 
glanced  despairingly  around.  There  were  as  many 
dead  as  living  within  the  room  by  this.  The  floor  was 
piled  with  the  slain ;  they  made  traps  for  the  living 
who  in  the  wild  surging  to  and  fro  stumbled  over 
them,  and  fell,  and  were  slain  before  they  could  rise. 
Three  fourths  of  the  dead  belonged  to  the  insurgents, 
but  the  attacked  had  suffered  severely.  Of  the  thirty 
men  with  whom  the  defense  had  commenced  there 
now  remained  but  twelve,  and  of  that  number  several 
were  wounded.  The  Colonel  was  bleeding  from  a  cut 
on  the  head,  the  under  overseer  had  a  ball  through  his 
arm,  Sir  Charles  still  lay  without  movement  at  Land- 
less's  feet. 

Forced,  together  with  almost  all  of  his  party,  by 
the  mad  rush  of  the  assailants  to  the  further  end  of 


MORNING  277 

the  room,  the  master  had  seen  with  agony  the  women 
left  well-nigh  defenseless.  Followed  by  Woodson, 
Havisham,  liegulus,  and  young  Whittington,  he  had 
all  but  cut  his  way  back  to  them,  when  a  fresh  influx 
from  the  hall  of  slaves  and  whites  who  had  been  en 
gaged  in  plundering  the  house,  drove  them  apart 
again. 

The  newcomers  came  fresh  to  the  work,  maddened, 
moreover,  by  the  master's  wines.  They  advanced 
upon  the  Colonel  and  his  party  with  drunken  shouts, 
some  brandishing  rude  weapons,  others  silver  salvers 
and  tankards,  the  spoil  of  the  plate  chest.  The  voice 
of  Luiz  Sebastian  rang  through  the  room.  "  Quick 
work  of  them,  friends  ;  I  smell  the  morning !  "  With 
a  laugh  and  a  scrap  of  Spanish  song  upon  his  lips  he 
came  at  Landless  with  a  knife,  but  a  turn  of  the  white 
man's  wrist  sent  the  weapon  hurling  through  the  air. 

"  Curse  you !  "  cried  the  mulatto,  springing  out  of 
reach  of  the  deadly  point,  and  holding  his  arm  from 
which  the  blood  was  flowing.  "  Mother  of  God  !  but 
I  will  have  you  yet !  "  and  bounded  towards  his  weapon. 
Landless,  steadily  watchful,  and  pointing  that  fatal 
sword  this  way  or  that  against  all  comers,  cleared  for 
himself  and  the  still  senseless  man  at  his  feet  a  circle 
into  which  few  cared  to  intrude,  for  the  fame  of  that 
blade  had  gone  through  the  room.  "  Leave  him  until 
we  have  dealt  with  the  others,"  said  the  mulatto  be 
tween  his  teeth.  "  Then  will  we  give  him  reason  to 
wish  that  he  had  never  been  born." 

A  touch  upon  his  arm,  and  Landless  turned  to  find 
Patricia  standing  beside  him.  "  Go  back,"  he  cried. 
"  Go  back  !  " 

"  They  are  murdering  them  all  over  there,"  she  said 
steadily.  "  My  father  is  dead.  I  saw  him  fall." 


278  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"Not  so,  madam.  He  did  but  stumble  over  the 
dead.  See,  Woodson  fights  them  back  from  him. 
For  God's  sake,  get  back  behind  the  barricade !  " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  He  is  dead.  They  will  all 
be  dead  directly,  my  cousin  and  all.  My  father  can 
not  help  me,  and  he  who  lies  here  cannot  help  me.  I 
will  not  be  taken  alive  by  these  devils,  and  I  have  no 
knife.  Will  you  kill  me  ?  " 

"  My  God !  " 

"  Quick  !  "  she  said  in  the  same  low,  steady  tones. 
"  They  are  coming  ;  they  will  beat  us  down  in  a  mo 
ment."  Kill  me !  " 

For  answer  Landless  raised  his  voice  until  it  rang 
high  above  the  uproar,  and  arrested  the  attention  of 
the  combatants  on  both  sides.  "  Fight  with  a  will, 
men,"  he  cried,  "  for  help  is  at  hand !  Do  you  not 
hear  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  ?  " 

"  By  God  I  you  are  right !  "  cried  the  Colonel,  sud 
denly  struggling  to  his  feet.  "  Hold  out,  men  !  An 
thony  Nash  reached  Rosemead,  and  has  brought  us 
aid!" 

"  The  dog  priest ! "  the  mulatto  cried  fiercely  to 
Trail.  "  Was  he  here  ?  Then  they  have  sent  for 
help,  and  Mother  of  God !  it  is  here  !  " 

"And  coming  at  the  planter's  pace,"  answered 
Trail.  "  They  will  be  upon  us  before  we  reach  the 
boats." 

The  mulatto  glanced  at  the  friend  with  whom  he 
had  fled  the  Indies  with  a  sinister  smile.  "  Ay,"  he 
muttered  to  himself.  "  They  will  be  upon  us  indeed, 
before  we  reach  the  boats,  wherefore  Luiz  Sebastian 
goes  not  to  turn  pirate  this  time.  He  throws  in  his 
lot  with  the  Ricahecrians  whose  canoes  are  close  at 
hand  in  the  inlet  that  winds  into  the  Paniunkey. 


MORNING  279 

They  are  very  swift,  and  in  the  Blue  Mountains  there 
is  safety.  But  one  thing  first." 

He  gave  a  shrill  and  peculiar  whistle  which  brought 
to  him  half  a  dozen  Indians.  He  pointed  to  the  body 
of  Grey  Wolf  and  then  to  Landless.  A  yell  burst 
from  the  lips  of  the  savages,  and  they  rushed  upon 
the  latter.  He  met  them,  ran  his  sword  through  the 
heart  of  the  first,  of  the  second :  Sir  Charles  moaned, 
stirred,  and  struggled  to  his  knees.  A  third  raised 
his  knife ;  it  would  have  descended,  but  Landless 
darted  between  the  savage  and  the  half -dazed,  utterly 
helpless  man  at  whom  the  blow  was  aimed,  struck  up 
the  arm,  and  plunged  his  sword  into  the  dark  breast. 
A  broken  oar,  snatched  from  the  floor  by  the  mulatto, 
descended  upon  his  head,  and  with  a  woman's  scream 
sounding  in  his  ear,  he  fell  heavily  to  the  floor,  and 
lay  as  one  dead. 

When  he  came  to  himself,  it  was  to  find  the  great 
room  still  crowded  with  men,  and  filled  with  noise  and 
confusion,  but  the  thronging  figures  and  the  excited 
voices  were  those  of  friends  —  of  servants  from  the 
neighboring  plantations,  of  small  planters  and  tenants 
of  Colonels  Ludwell  and  Fitzhugh,  the  Surveyor-Gen 
eral,  and  Dr.  Anthony  Nash.  He  saw  the  master, 
panting,  bleeding,  but  exultant,  seize  Dr.  Nash's  hands 
in  his  own.  He  saw  Sir  Charles  smile  and  extend  his 
box  of  richly  scented  snuff  to  Colonel  Ludwell,  and 
the  women  leaving  their  corner  of  refuge  with  hyster 
ical  laughter  and  tears  ;  saw  Betty  Carrington  in  her 
father's  arms,  and  Mistress  Lettice  being  helped  across 
a  heap  of  dead  by  Captain  Laramore.  Indians,  negroes, 
mulatto,  scoundrel  whites,  were  gone. 

"  They  got  off  clear  —  the  d — d  villains,"  said  Dick 
Whittington,  appearing  beside  him,  "just  before  the 


280  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

horses  came  up.  But  Woodson  has  gone  after  the 
slaves  and  the  convicts  with  a  party  of  Carringlon's 
men.  He  '11  catch  them,  I  'm  thinking,  and  they  '11 
come  to  a  pirate's  end  —  that 's  all  the  pirating  they  '11 
get.  The  Indians  will  get  clean  away ;  they  're  most 
to  the  Pamunkey  by  now,  I  reckon." 

Landless  staggered  to  his  feet,  and  put  his  hand  to 
his  head,  which  was  bleeding.  "  The  women  are  all 
safe  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  All  but  poor  Annis,"  said  the  boy.  "  When  I 
saw  the  poor  maid  fall,  I  thanked  the  Lord  that  Joyce 
Whitbread  was  safe  in  her  mother's  cottage  at  Ban- 
bury.  But  none  of  the  others  were  hurt.  There  is 
Mistress  Lettice  and  Mistress  Betty  Carrington  —  I 
do  not  see  Mistress  Patricia." 

The  master  of  Verney  Manor,  pouring  forth  a  rapid 
account  of  the  late  affair  to  the  gentlemen  who  crowded 
around  him,  was  brought  to  a  dead  stop  by  the  appear 
ance  of  a  man  who  had  burst  through  the  throng,  and 
now  stood  before  him,  half  naked,  bleeding,  with  white, 
drawn  face  and  wild  eyes. 

"  What  is  it  ?  Speak !  "  cried  the  master,  terror  of 
he  knew  not  what  growing  in  his  eyes. 

"  Your  daughter,  Colonel  Verney  !  "  cried  Landless. 
"  She  is  not  here.  The  Kicahecrians  have  carried 
her  off." 

With  a  sound  between  a  groan  and  a  scream  the 
Colonel  staggered,  and  would  have  fallen  had  not 
Carrington  caught  him.  "  Gone  !  Impossible  !  " 
cried  Sir  Charles  vehemently,  all  his  studied  insouci 
ance  thrown  to  the  winds.  "  She  was  with  the  women 
behind  the  barrier  that  we  made.  She  is  here." 

He  began  to  call  her  by  name,  loudly,  appealingly, 
but  there  came  no  answering  voice. 


MORNING  281 

"  She  will  not  answer,"  said  Landless  hoarsely. 
"  She  is  not  here.  She  was  with  the  women  until  just 
before  the  last.  She  saw  her  father  fall,  and  thought 
him  dead,  and  you  dead,  too,  Sir  Charles  Carew,  and 
she  came  to  me,  and  prayed  me  to  kill  her.  Then  we 
heard  the  sound  of  the  horses,  and  six  Indians  — 
Ricahecrians  —  with  Luiz  Sebastian,  came  against 
me.  She  stood  at  my  side  while  I  killed  three.  Then 
I  was  struck  down,  and  I  heard  her  scream  as  I  fell." 

The  master  freed  himself  from  Carrington's  sup 
porting  arm,  and  raised  from  his  hands  a  face  that 
had  suddenly  become  that  of  an  old  man.  But  the 
voice  was  steady  with  which  he  said  quietly,  — 

"  Let  them  search  the  room  thoroughly,  for  the 
child  may  be  laying  in  a  faint  beneath  these  dead, 
though  my  soul  doth  tell  me  that  it  is  as  this  man 
says,  and  that  she  is  gone.  But  we  will  after  them  at 
once,  and,  please  God,  we  will  have  her  back,  safe  and 
sound.  They  have  but  an  hour's  start." 

"  Ay,"  muttered  young  Whittington  to  Havisham. 
"  Only  an  hour.  But  the  Chickahominies  build  the 
swiftest  canoes  in  this  corner  of  the  world,  and  I  have 
heard  that  the  canoes  of  the  Ricahecrians  are  to  the 
canoes  of  the  Chickahominies  as  swallows  are  to 
cranes." 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

BREAD    CAST   UPON    THE    WATERS 

GREAT  trees,  drooping  from  the  banks  of  the 
Pamuiikey,  shadowed  into  inky  blackness  the  water 
below  them ;  but  between  the  lines  of  darkness  slept 
a  charmed  sheet,  glassy,  fiery  red  from  the  sunken 
sun.  Three  boats  moved  silently  and  swiftly  up  the 
crimson  stream,  until,  rounding  a  low  point,  they 
came  upon  an  Indian  village,  nestling  amidst  vines 
and  mulberries,  and  girt  with  a  green  ribbon  of 
late  maize,  when  they  swung  round  from  the  middle 
stream  and  made  for  the  bank.  They  were  rowed 
by  stalwart  servants,  and  in  the  foremost  sat  the 
master  of  Verney  Manor  and  Sir  Charles  Carew.  In 
the  second  boat  was  the  Surveyor-General  and  Dr. 
Anthony  Nash,  and  in  the  third  the  overseer,  and 
among  the  rowers  of  this  last  was  Godfrey  Landless. 

As  they  neared  the  bank  their  occupants  saw  that 
the  usual  sleepy  evening  stillness  was  not  upon  the 
village  above  them.  A  shrill  sound  of  wailing  from 
women  and  children  rose  and  fell  through  the  gather 
ing  dusk,  and  in  the  open  space  round  which  the  bark 
wigwams  were  built,  dark  figures  moved  to  and  fro 
in  a  kind  of  measured  dance,  slow  and  solemn,  and 
marked  at  intervals  by  dismal  cries.  As  the  boats 
touched  the  shore  and  the  white  men  sprang  out,  a 
boy,  stationed  as  scarecrow  upon  the  usual  scaffold  in 
the  midst  of  the  maize  fields,  raised  a  shrill  whoop  of 


BREAD   CAST  UPON   THE   WATERS  283 

warning  which  brought  the  lamentation  of  the  women 
and  the  dance  of  the  men  to  a  dead  stop.  The  latter 
rushed  down  to  the  river  side,  brandishing  their  weap 
ons,  and  yelling ;  but  there  seemed  little  strength  in 
the  arms  that  flourished  the  tomahawk ;  the  voices 
sounded  cracked  and  shrill,  and  the  weak  fury  and 
noise  died  away  when  a  nearer  approach  showed  the 
newcomers  to  be  white.  A  very  aged  man,  with  a 
face  all  wrinkles  and  a  chest  all  scars,  stepped  from 
out  the  throng  which  was  now  augmented  by  the 
women  and  children. 

"  My  white  fathers  are  far  from  the  salt  water. 
Seldom  do  the  Pamunkeys  see  their  faces  coming  up 
the  narrowing  stream  or  through  the  forest.  They  are 
welcome.  Let  my  fathers  tarry  and  my  women  shall 
bring  them  chinquepin  cakes  and  tuckahoe,  pohickory 
and  succotash,  and  my  young  men  —  " 

He  paused,  and  a  low  wailing  murmur  like  the 
sound  of  the  wind  in  the  forest  rose  from  the  women. 

"Where  are  your  young  men,  your  braves?"  de 
manded  the  Surveyor-General.  "  Here  are  only  the 
very  old  and  the  very  young  —  they  who  have  not 
seen  a  Huskanawing." 

The  Indian  pointed  to  the  crimson  flood  below. 
"  There  are  my  young  men ;  there  are  my  braves. 
Among  them  were  a  werowance  and  a  sagamore. 
They  two  have  strings  of  pearl  thicker  than  the 
stem  of  the  grape  vine  ;  they  are  painted  with  puc- 
coon,  and  the  feathers  of  the  bluebird  and  the  red- 
bird  are  upon  them.  They  have  hills  of  hatchets  and 
of  arrow  heads,  sharp  and  clean,  and  very  much  to 
bacco,  and  they  sing  and  dance  in  the  great  wigwam 
of  Okee,  in  the  home  of  Kiwassa,  in  the  land  beyond 
the  setting  sun.  But  the  rest  —  they  lie  deep  in  the 


284  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

slime  of  the  river ;  it  is  red  with  their  blood ;  their 
wives  wail  for  them ;  their  village  is  left  desolate. 
.  .  .  When  the  time  of  the  full  sun  power  wras  past 
the  smoking  of  three  pipes,  came  up  the  Pamunkey, 
swift  as  the  swallow  that  skims  its  waters,  the  Rica- 
hecrian  dogs  who,  passing  down  towards  the  salt 
water  twelve  suns  ago,  slew  the  young  men  of  a  vil 
lage  that  lieth  below  us.  My  young  men  went  out 
against  them,  but  a  cloud  came  up  and  Kiwassa  hid 
his  face  behind  it.  They  came  not  back,  their  boats 
were  sunk,  the  Ricahecrians  laughed  and  went  their 
way,  swift  as  swallows." 

"  Ask  him,"  said  the  Colonel  huskily. 

"  Had  they  a  captive  with  them  —  a  woman,  a  pale 
face  woman  ?  "  demanded  Carrington. 

"  With  hair  like  the  sunshine  and  a  white  robe. 
And  a  man,  the  color  of  the  falling  sycamore  leaf, 
one  of  those  who  work  in  the  fields  of  the  white 
fathers.  The  arms  of  the  woman  were  bound,  but 
his  were  not  —  he  fought  with  the  Ricahecrian  dogs." 

"  Luiz  Sebastian  !  "  said  the  overseer  with  a  mut 
tered  oath.  "  I  thought  as  much  when  we  found  that 
he  was  not  with  the  drunken  scoundrels  whom  we 
took  before  they  reached  the  Point.  And  we  had 
better  have  killed  him  than  all  the  rest  put  together, 
for  he  is  the  devil  incarnate." 

"  Let  us  get  on !  "  Sir  Charles  cried  impatiently. 
"  We  waste  time  when  every  moment  is  precious." 

The  Colonel,  who  had  been  speaking  to  the  Sur 
veyor-General,  came  over  to  him.  All  the  jovial  life 
and  fire  was  gone  from  his  face,  his  eyes  were  haggard 
and  bloodshot,  he  stooped  like  an  old  man,  but  the 
voice  with  which  he  spoke  was  steady  and  authorita 
tive  as  ever. 


BREAD  CAST  UPON   THE   WATERS  285 

"  Ay,"  he  said.  "  We  must  on  at  once,  but  not  all 
of  us.  Richard  Verney  must  not  forget  the  danger 
of  the  state,  in  the  danger  of  his  child,  nor  let  his 
private  quarrel  take  precedence.  I  had  hoped  when 
we  left  the  Manor  at  dawn  to  have  been  up  with  the 
villains  ere  now,  but  it  was  not  to  be.  This  will  be 
a  long  chase  and  a  stern  one,  and  how  it  will  end 
God  only  knows.  We  go  into  a  wilderness  from 
which  we  may  never  return.  Behind  us  in  the  set 
tlement  is  turmoil  and  danger,  a  conspiracy  to  be  put 
down,  the  Chickahominies  to  be  subdued,  the  strong 
hand  needed  everywhere.  Every  man  should  be  at 
his  post,  and  Richard  Verney,  Lieutenant  of  his  shire, 
and  Colonel  of  the  trainbands,  is  many  leagues  from 
the  danger  which  threatens  the  colony,  and  with  his 
face  to  the  west.  He  must  on,  but  Major  Carring- 
ton  must  go  back  to  do  his  duty  to  the  King,  and 
Anthony  Nash  must  not  desert  his  flock.  And  you, 
Woodson,  I  send  back  to  the  Manor  to  do  what  you 
can  to  repair  the  havoc  there,  and  to  protect  Mis 
tress  Lettice.  My  kinsman  will  go  on  with  me  ;  is 
it  not  so,  Charles  ?  " 

"  Assuredly,  sir,"  said  the  baronet  quietly. 

"  I  'd  a  sight  rather  go  with  your  Honor,"  growled 
the  overseer,  "  but  I  '11  do  my  best  both  by  the  plan 
tation  and  by  Mistress  Lettice,  and  I  look  for  your 
Honor  and  Mistress  Patricia  back  in  no  time  at  all. 
We  are  to  take  the  small  boat,  I  reckon  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  four  men  to  row  you.  We  will  press 
a  boat  and  a  crew  from  the  next  Pamunkey  village. 
Pick  out  your  men,  and  let  us  be  gone." 

"  Humph!  There  's  one  that  I  reckon  had  best  go 
back  with  us.  Does  your  Honor  know  that  you  've 
got  with  you  the  head  of  all  this  d — d  Oliverian  busi- 


286  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

ness,  the  man  that  Trail  swore  was  their  general  — 
that  they  all  obeyed  as  though  he  were  Oliver  him 
self?" 

"  No !  How  came  he  here  ?  "  cried  the  master, 
staring  at  Landless,  who  stood  at  some  distance  from 
them  with  folded  arms  and  compressed  lips,  gazing 
steadily  up  the  glowing  reaches  of  the  river. 

"  Found  him  in  the  boat  when  I  stepped  into  it 
myself.  I  did  n't  say  anything  then,  for  we  were  in 
a  mortal  hurry  and  he  's  a  good  rower.  But  I  reckon 
your  Honor  will  send  him  back  with  me  ?  He  '11  give 
you  the  slip  the  first  chance  he  gets." 

u  Of  course  he  must  go  back,"  the  master  said  per 
emptorily.  "  He  should  never  have  been  brought 
thus  far.  A  dozen  or  so  of  these  Oliverians  must 
swing  as  an  example  to  the  rest,  and  he,  their  leader, 
and  a  felon  to  boot,  at  their  head.  The  service  he 
did  us  last  night  can  not  help  him  —  he  fought  for 
his  own  life.  The  Governor  has  sworn  to  hang  him, 
and  I  am  accountable  for  his  safe  delivery  at  James 
town.  Bind  him  and  take  him  back  with  you,  and 
send  him  at  once  to  Jamestown  under  a  strong  es 
cort."  He  turned  from  the  overseer  to  the  two  gen 
tlemen  who  were  to  go  down  the  river.  "  Carrington, 
Anthony  Nash,  old  friends,  farewell  —  it  may  be  for 
ever.  Anthony,  pray  that  I  may  find  my  child  safe 
and  spotless." 

They  embraced,  and  he  wrung  their  hands,  and, 
stepping  hastily  into  the  boat,  sank  down  and  covered 
his  face  with  his  cloak.  The  Surveyor-General  stood 
with  a  pale  and  troubled  face,  and  Dr.  Anthony  Nash 
prayed  aloud.  The  rowers  took  their  places  and  the 
boat  shot  out  into  the  middle  stream. 

Landless,  seeing  the  second  boat  filling,  and  sup- 


BREAD   CAST  UPON   THE   WATERS  287 

posing  that  the  third  would  receive  its  load  in  a  mo 
ment,  stepped  towards  it.  As  he  passed  the  overseer, 
standing  a  little  to  one  side  with  two  servants  belong 
ing  to  Colonel  Fitzhugh,  a  tenant  of  Colonel  Verney, 
and  an  Indian  from  Rosemead,  Woodson  put  forth  an 
arm  and  stopped  him. 

"  No,  no,  my  man,"  he  said  with  a  grim  smile  but 
with  a  watchful  eye,  and  nodding  to  the  men  to  close 
in  around  them.  "  Your  way  's  down,  not  up." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  cried  Landless,  recoiling. 

"  I  mean  that  the  Doctor  and  the  Major  and  I  and 
these  men  go  back  to  the  settlements  to  look  after 
things  there,  and  that  you  are  going  to  renew  your  ac 
quaintance  with  Jamestown  gaol." 

For  a  moment  Landless  stood,  turned  to  stone, 
within  the  other's  grasp,  then  with  a  cry  he  broke 
from  him  and  rushed  to  the  water's  edge.  The  boat 
containing  the  master  had  turned  her  head  up  stream 
and  was  beyond  call ;  in  the  second  boat  the  men 
held  the  oars  poised  while  Sir  Charles,  with  one  foot 
upon  the  gunwale,  gave  a  gravely  courteous  farewell 
to  the  Surveyor-General  and  the  divine. 

"  Sir  Charles  Carew  !  "  cried  Landless.  "  I  pray 
you  to  take  me  with  you  !  " 

Without  moving,  Sir  Charles  looked  at  him  coldly, 
a  peculiar  smile  just  curling  his  lip. 

"  I  remember  a  day,"  he  said,  "  when  you  said  that 
I  might  wait  until  doomsday  and  not  hear  favor  asked 
of  me  by  you." 

"  You  are  not  generous,"  Landless  said  slowly, 
"  but  I  ask  the  favor.  I  ask  it  on  my  knees.  Let 
me  go  with  you." 

Sir  Charles  stepped  into  the  boat  and  took  the  seat 
reserved  for  him.  "  I  regret,"  he  said  politely,  "  that 


288  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

it  comports  not  with  my  duty  as  a  gentleman  and  an 
officer  of  the  King  to  assist  you  in  your  very  natural 
endeavors  to  escape  the  gibbet.  Push  off,  men." 

The  boat  shot  from  the  shore  and  up  the  darkening 
stream,  hastening  to  overtake  its  consort.  Sir  Charles 
raised  his  Spanish  hat  and  fluttered  a  lace  handker 
chief.  "  To  a  happier  meeting,  gentlemen  !  "  The 
Surveyor-General  and  the  divine  returned  the  salute, 
and  stood  in  silence  watching  the  canoe  with  its 
brawny  rowers  and  the  slender,  elegant  figure  in  the 
stern.  It  caught  up  with  the  Colonel's  boat  and  the 
two  grow  smaller  and  smaller,  until  they  become 
mere  black  dots  and  the  dusk  swallowed  them  up. 

Landless  watched  them  too  with  a  face  set  like  a 
stone.  The  overseer,  backed  by  two  of  the  servants, 
approached  him  with  caution,  but  there  was  no  need, 
—  he  submitted  to  be  bound  without  a  word,  or 
struggle,  or  change  in  the  expression  of  his  face.  He 
turned  mechanically  towards  the  boat,  but  the  over 
seer  plucked  him  back.  "  Not  yet,"  he  said.  "  "We 
are  all  dead  beat,  and  we  have  not  the  need  to  hurry 
that  have  those  who  are  gone  on.  The  Major  's  com 
mander  now,  and  he  says  sleep  here  a  few  hours.  I  '11 
fasten  you  so  that  you  can't  get  away,  I  promise  ye ! 
Fegs !  it's  a  pity  that  a  man  who  can  fight  as  you 
fought  last  night  should  have  to  die  a  dog's  death 
after  all !  But  you  've  only  yourself  to  thank  for  it." 

The  red  glow  died  from  the  river  like  the  scarlet 
from  cooling  iron,  and  it  lay  dark  and  silent,  dimly 
reflecting  a  myriad  of  stars.  The  sloping  bank,  the 
maize  fields,  tobacco  patch  and  mulberry  grove,  the 
plateau  upon  which  were  ranged  the  wigwams  of  the 
Indians,  the  dark  and  endless  forest  —  all  the  wide, 
sombre  earth  —  had  their  stars  also  —  myriads  on 


BREAD   CAST   UPON  THE   WATERS  289 

myriads  of  fire-flies,  restlessly  sparkling  lanterns 
swung  by  legions  of  fairies.  There  was  no  wind  ; 
the  cataracts  of  wild  grape  descending  from  the  tops 
of  the  tallest  trees  stirred  not  a  leaf ;  the  pines  were 
soundless.  But  the  whip-poor-wills  wailed  on,  and 
once  a  catamount  screamed,  and  the  deer,  coming  to 
a  lick  close  by,  made  a  trampling  over  the  fern. 

Landless,  tightly  bound  to  a  great  bay  tree  with 
thongs  of  deerskin,  watched  the  night  grow  old  with 
hard,  despairing  eyes.  The  stars  paled  and  the  moon 
rose  softly  above  the  tree-tops,  silvering  the  world  be 
neath.  By  her  light  he  saw  the  little  glade  of  which 
the  tree  to  which  he  was  bound  marked  the  centre,  and 
the  recumbent  forms  of  those  who  were  to  return  to 
the  settlements  stretched  on  Indian  mats  laid  upon  the 
short  grass.  Worn  out  with  the  toil  of  the  day  and 
the  storm  and  stress  of  the  night  before,  they  slum 
bered  heavily.  The  watcher  in  their  midst  thought, 
"  If  I  could  sleep  !  "  and  resolutely  closed  his  eyes, 
but  the  vision  of  a  flying  canoe  and  a  brightness  of 
golden  hair,  which  had  vexed  him,  passing  up  the 
reaches  of  the  river  over  and  over  and  over  again, 
was  with  him  still,  and  he  opened  them  and  raised 
them  to  the  stars,  thinking,  "  She  may  be  above  them 
now." 

How  still  it  was  !  no  air,  no  breath,  no  sound  — 
the  thongs,  that,  wound  many  times  around  his  body, 
bound  him  to  the  tree,  fell  at  his  feet,  a  figure  slipped 
from  behind  the  trunk,  laid  a  hand,  in  which  was  a 
knife  that  gleamed  in  the  mooon light,  upon  his  arm, 
and  whispering,  "  Follow,"  glided  over  the  grass,  past 
the  sleepers  and  into  the  forest. 

Swiftly  but  cautiously  Landless  went  after  it.  The 
overseer  lay  within  ten  feet  of  him  ;  he  passed  him, 


290  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

passed  the  unconscious  servants,  crossed  a  strip  of 
moonlight,  entered  the  shadow  of  a  locust,  and  all  but 
stumbled  over  a  man  lying  asleep  beneath  it.  He 
recoiled,  and  a  twig  snapped  beneath  his  foot.  The 
sleeper  stirred,  turned  upon  his  side,  and  opened  his 
eyes.  The  moon,  now  high  in  the  heavens,  shone  so 
brightly  that  there  was  soft  light  even  beneath  the 
heavy  branches  of  the  trees,  and  by  this  light  his 
Majesty's  Surveyor-General  and  his  Majesty's  re 
bellious,  convicted,  and  condemned  servant  recog 
nized  each  other.  For  one  long  minute  they  stared 
each  at  the  other,  then,  without  a  word  or  sign  to 
denote  that  he  was  aware  that  aught  stood  between 
him  and  the  moonlight,  Carrington  lay  down  again, 
pillowed  his  head  upon  his  arm  and  closed  his  eyes. 
Landless  was  passing  on  with  a  light  and  steady  step 
and  the  ghost  of  a  smile  upon  his  lips  when  the  ap 
parently  slumbering  figure  put  forth  an  arm  and  laid 
something  long  and  dark  across  his  pathway.  He 
glanced  quickly  around,  but  the  Surveyor-General  lay 
motionless,  with  closed  eyes.  Stooping,  he  took  up 
the  object,  which  proved  to  be  a  richly  inlaid  musket 
with  flask  and  pouch.  He  paused  again,  but  no  sign 
coming  from  the  quietly  breathing  form  on  the  grass 
he  lightly  and  silently  left  it  and  the  tiny  encampment 
and  entered  the  forest,  where  he  found  a  dark  figure 
leaning  against  a  tree,  waiting  for  him.  Without  a 
word  it  moved  forward  into  the  dense  shadow  of  the 
forest,  and  in  the  same  silence  he  followed  it.  They 
were  now  in  thick  woods,  moving  beneath  interlock 
ing  branches  and  a  vast  canopy  of  wild  grape  that, 
stretching  from  the  summit  of  one  lofty  tree  to  that 
of  another,  formed  a  green  and  undulating  roof  upon 
which  beat  the  moonbeams  that  could  not  penetrate 


BREAD  CAST   UPON   THE   WATERS  291 

the  close  darkness  of  the  world  below.  They  came  to 
a  small  and  sluggish  stream,  flowing  without  noise  be 
tween  the  towering  trees,  and  stepping  into  the  water, 
walked  up  it  for  a  long  while  with  giant  blacknesses 
on  either  hand  and  above  them  the  moon. 

All  this  time  the  figure  had  stalked  along  before 
Landless  without  speaking  or  turning  its  head,  but 
now,  the  trees  thinning,  and  they  coming  upon  a  field 
of  wild  flax  that  lay  fair  and  white  beneath  the  moon, 
it  quitted  the  lazy  stream,  and  turning  upon  Landless 
as  he  too  stepped  upon  the  bank,  showed  him  the  bronze 
countenance  and  the  gigantic  form  of  the  Susquehan- 
nock  to  whom  he  had  once  done  a  kindness,  and  with 
whom  he  had  fought  on  such  a  night  as  this,  in  such 
a  moonlight  space. 

"  Monakatocka,  I  thought  it  had  been  you,"  said 
Landless  quietly. 

With  the  never  failing  "  Ugh  !  "  the  Indian  took 
Landless's  hand  and  with  it  touched  his  own  dark 
shoulder. 

"  I  too  am  grateful,  and  with  far  more  reason," 
said  Landless  smiling.  "  I  will  be  yet  more  so  if 
you  will  bring  me  out  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  at 
some  distance  above  yonder  encampment." 

"  What  will  my  brother  do  then  ?  " 

"  I  will  go  up  the  river." 

"  After  the  canoes  in  which  sit  the  palefaces  from 
whom  my  brother  flees  ?" 

"  After  the  canoe  which  those  canoes  pursue." 

"  If  my  brother  wishes  to  take  the  warpath  against 
the  Algonquin  dogs,"  said  the  Indian  quietly,  "  he 
must  not  follow  the  Pamunkey,  but  the  Powhatan." 

"  They  passed  this  village  yesterday,  going  up  the 
Pamunkey  !  "  cried  Landless. 


292  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  A  false  trail.  Let  my  brother  come  a  little 
further  and  I  will  show  him." 

He  stepped  in  front  of  the  white  man,  and  moving 
rapidly  across  the  field  of  flax,  dived  into  the  forest 
again.  Following  the  stream  in  its  windings  they 
came  to  where  it  debouched  into  a  wide  and  muddy 
creek,  which,  in  its  turn,  flowed  into  an  expanse  of 
water  that  lay  like  molten  silver  beyond  the  fringe  of 
trees. 

"  The  Pamunkey  !  "  exclaimed  Landless. 

The  Indian  nodded  and  led  the  way  to  a  thicket  of 
dwarf  willow  and  alder  that  grew  upon  the  very  brink 
of  the  creek. 

"  While  the  palefaces  slept,  Monakatocka  was 
busy.  Look ! "  he  said,  parting  the  bushes  and 
pointing. 

Within  the  thicket,  drawn  up  upon  the  sloping 
mud,  were  two  large  canoes,  quite  empty  save  for  a 
debris  of  broken  oars. 

Landless  gasped.  "  How  do  you  know  them  to  be 
the  same?  " 

The  Indian  stooped  and  pointed  to  dark  stains. 
"  Blood.  They  had  wounded  among  them.  And 
this."  He  put  something  into  the  other's  hand. 
Landless  looked  at  it,  then  thrust  it  into  his  bosom. 
"  You  are  right.  It  is  a  ribbon  which  the  lady  wore. 
But  why  have  they  left  their  boats,  and  where  are 
they?" 

The  Indian  pointed  to  the  side  of  the  larger 
canoe.  "  The  hatchets  of  the  Pamunkeys  were  sharp. 
They  fought  like  real  men.  This  canoe  could  go  no 
further.  See,  it  is  wet  within  —  they  had  to  ply  the 
gourd  very  fast  to  keep  afloat  so  far.  One  canoe 
would  not  hold  them  all,  so  they  hid  both  here.  They 


BREAD   CAST  UPON   THE   WATERS  293 

knew  the  palefaces  would  follow  up  the  river,  so  they 
cared  not  to  stay  upon  its  banks ;  the  Pamunkeys, 
too,  are  their  enemies.  They  have  gone  through  the 
forest  towards  the  Powhatan.  My  brother  cannot 
see  their  trail,  for  the  eyes  of  the  palefaces  are 
clouded,  but  Monakatocka  sees  it." 

Landless  turned  upon  him.  "  Will  Monakatocka 
go  with  me  against  the  Ricahecrians  ?  " 

"  Monakatocka  has  dreamt  of  the  village  on  the 
pleasant  river  where  he  was  born.  The  arm  of  the 
white  men  cannot  reach  him  here,  in  these  woods,  far 
from  their  wigwams  and  warriors  and  guns  ;  it  cannot 
pluck  him  back  to  be  beaten.  He  toils  no  more  in 
their  fields.  He  is  a  real  man  again,  a  warrior  of  the 
long  house,  a  chief  of  the  Conestogas.  Let  my  white 
brother  go  with  him,  across  the  great  rivers,  through 
the  forest,  until  they  come  to  the  Susquehanna  and 
the  village  of  the  Conestogas.  There  will  the  maid 
ens  and  the  young  men  welcome  Monakatocka  with 
song  and  dance,  and  my  brother  shall  be  welcome 
also  and  shall  become  a  great  chief  and  shall  take 
the  warpath  against  the  Algonquin  and  against  the 
paleface  at  the  side  of  Monakatocka.  In  the  Blue 
Mountains  is  Death.  Let  us  go  to  the  pleasant  river, 
to  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Conestogas." 

Landless  shook  his  head.  "  My  thanks  and  good 
wishes  go  with  you,  friend,  but  my  path  lies  towards 
the  Blue  Mountains.  Farewell." 

He  put  out  his  hand,  but  the  Indian  did  not  touch 
it.  Instead,  he  stooped  and  examined  the  ground 
about  him  with  attention,  then,  beckoning  the  other 
to  follow,  he  moved  rapidly  and  silently  along  the 
border  of  the  creek.  Landless  overtook  him  and 


294  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

laid  his  hand  upon  his  arm.     "  This  is  my  path,  but 
yours  lies  across  the  river,  to  the  north." 

"  If  my  brother  will  not  go  with  me,  I  will  go  with 
my  brother,"  said  the  Conestoga. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE    BRIDGE    OF   ROCK 

FOR  twenty  days  they  had  followed  the  Ricahe- 
crians.  At  times  the  trail  lay  before  them  so  plain 
that  even  Landless's  unaccustomed  eyes  could  read 
it ;  at  times  he  saw  nothing  but  untrodden  ways  — 
no  sign  to  show  that  man  had  been  in  that  wilderness 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world  —  but  the  Susque- 
hannock  saw  and  went  steadily  onward ;  at  times  they 
lost  it  altogether,  to  find  it  hours,  days  afterwards.  .  .  . 
It  had  led  them  westward,  then  south  to  the  banks  of 
the  Powhatan,  then  westward  again.  At  first  they 
had  to  avoid  an  occasional  clearing  with  the  cabin 
of  a  pioneer  rising  from  it,  or  some  frontier  post, 
or  the  village  of  one  of  the  Powhatan  tribes,  but 
that  time  had  long  past.  The  world  of  the  white 
man  was  far  behind  them,  so  far  that  it  might  have 
been  another  planet  for  all  it  threatened  them  ;  the 
Indian  villages  were  few  and  far  between  and  in 
habited  by  tribes  whose  tongue  the  Susquehannock 
did  not  know.  For  the  most  part  they  gave  these 
villages  a  wide  berth,  but  sometimes  in  the  quiet  of 
the  evening  they  entered  one,  and  were  met  by  the 
eldest  man  and  conducted  to  the  stranger's  lodging, 
where  slim  brown  maidens  came  to  them  with  platters 
of  maize  cakes  and  nuts  and  broiled  fish,  and  the 
warriors  and  old  men  gathered  around,  marveling; 

o  o 

at  the   color  of   the   one    and    conversing    with    the 


296  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

other  in  stately  gesture.  Sometimes,  crouched  in  a 
tangle  of  vines  or  behind  the  giant  bole  of  some  fallen 
tree  they  watched  a  war  party  file  past,  noiseless,  like 
shadows,  disappearing  in  the  blue  haze  that  filled  the 
distant  aisles  of  the  forest.  Once  a  band  of  five  at 
tacked  them,  coming  upon  them  in  their  sleep.  Three 
they  killed  and  the  others  fled.  They  dipped  into  the 
next  stream  that  crossed  their  path  and  swam  up  it  a 
long  distance,  then  emerged  and  went  their  way, 
tolerably  confident  that  they  had  covered  their  trail. 
Sometimes  they  struggled  for  hours  through  coverts 
of  wild  grape,  thick  with  fruit ;  sometimes  they 
walked  for  miles  down  endless  colonnades  of  pine 
trees^  where  the  needle  -  strewn  ground  was  like  ice 
for  slipperiness,  and  the  blue  sky  gleamed  faintly 
through  the  far  away  tree  tops.  The  wind  in  the 
pines  rose  and  fell  in  long,  measured  cadences.  It 
made  the  only  sound  there,  for  the  birds  forgot  to 
sing  and  the  insect  world  kept  silence  in  those  vast 
and  sombre  cathedrals. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  twentieth  day  they  came  to 
a  halt  upon  the  bank  of  a  small  stream  that  fell  purl 
ing  over  a  long,  smooth  slide  of  limestone  into  the 
river.  Mountains  had  loomed  into  existence  in  the 
last  few  days.  In  the  distance  they  made  a  vast  blue 
rampart  which  seemed  to  prop  the  western  skies. 
When  the  sun  sank  behind  them  it  was  as  though 
a  mighty  warrior  had  entered  his  fortress.  Nearer 
at  hand  they  fell  into  lofty  hills,  over  which  the  forest 
undulated  in  unbroken  green.  In  front  the  river 
made  a  sudden  turn  and  was  lost  to  sight,  disappear 
ing  through  a  frowning  gateway  of  gray  cliffs  as  com 
pletely  as  though  it  had  plunged  into  the  bowels  of 
the  earth.  .  Landless  sat  down  on  the  bank  of  the 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   ROCK  297 

stream  above  the  fall  and,  chin  in  hand,  gazed  at  the 
mountain-piled  horizon.  The  Indian,  leaning  against 
a  great  sycamore  whose  branches  trailed  in  the  water, 
watched  him  attentively. 

"  My  brother  is  tired,"  he  said  at  last. 

Landless  shook  his  head.  The  Susquehannock 
paused,  still  with  his  eyes  upon  the  other's  face,  and 
then  went  on,  "  We  have  searched  and  have  found 
nothing.  There  have  been  five  suns  since  the  great 
rains  blotted  out  the  trail.  My  brother  has  done 
very  much.  Let  him  say  so  and  we  will  go  back  to 
the  falls  of  the  far  west  and  thence  to  the  northward, 
to  the  pleasant  river,  to  Monakatocka's  people,  to  the 
graves  of  his  fathers.  And  my  brother  will  be  wel 
come  to  the  Conestogas,  and  he  shall  be  made  one  of 
them,  and  become  a  great  warrior,  and  both  he  and 
Monakatocka  will  forget  the  evil  days  when  they 
were  slaves  —  until  they  meet  a  paleface  from  the 
great  water.  My  brother  has  but  to  speak." 

"  If  these  hills  in  front  of  us,"  said  Landless  with 
gloomy  emphasis,  "  were  higher  than  the  Alps,  I  would 
climb  them.  If  behind  them  there  were  another  range, 
and  then  another,  and  another,  if  we  looked  upon  the 
nearest  wave  of  an  ocean  of  mountains,  I  would  climb 
them  all.  If  they  are  before  us,  sooner  or  later  I 
shall  find  them.  But  not  to  know  that  they  are  be 
fore  us !  To  know  that  they  may  be  to  the  north  of 
us,  may  be  to  the  south  of  us !  that  we  may  even  have 
passed  them  !  it  is  maddening !  " 

"  We  have  not  passed  them,"  said  his  companion 
slowly,  "  for —  "  he  stopped  abruptly,  broke  off  a  bough 
from  a  sumach  bush  beside  him,  and  falling  on  his 
knees,  leaned  far  out  over  the  stream.  There  were 
many  tiny  cascades  in  the  brook  with  little  eddies 


298  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

below  them  where  sticks  and  leaves  circled  gaily 
around  before  they  were  drawn  on  to  the  next  minia 
ture  fall,  and  into  one  of  these  eddies  the  Indian 
plunged  the  bough.  The  next  moment  he  drew  it 
carefully  towards  him,  something  white  clinging  to 
one  of  its  twigs.  It  proved  to  be  a  fragment  of  lace 
—  not  more  than  an  inch  or  two  —  and  it  might  have 
been  torn  from  a  woman's  kerchief.  Landless's  hand 
closed  over  it  convulsively. 

"  It  came  down  the  stream  !  "  he  cried. 

The  other  nodded.  "  Monakatocka  saw  it  slip  over 
that  fall.  It  has  not  been  in  the  water  long." 

"  Then  —  my  God !  —  they  are  close  at  hand  !  They 
are  up  this  stream  !  " 

The  Indian  nodded  again  with  a  look  of  satisfac 
tion  upon  his  bronze  features.  Landless  raised  his 
eyes  to  the  cloudless  blue,  and  his  lips  moved.  Then, 
without  a  word  he  turned  his  face  up  the  mountain 
stream,  and  the  Indian  followed  him. 

For  an  hour  they  crept  warily  onward,  following 
the  stream  in  its  capricious  wanderings.  A  broken 
trailer  of  grapevine,  a  pine  cone  that  had  been  crushed 
under  foot,  the  print  of  a  moccasin  on  a  bit  of  muddy 
ground  told  them  that  they  had  indeed  recovered  the 
long  lost  trail.  They  moved  silently,  sometimes  creep 
ing  on  hands  and  knees  through  the  long  grass  where 
the  bank  was  barren  of  bushes,  sometimes  gliding 
swiftly  through  a  friendly  covert  of  alder  or  sumach. 
The  hills  closed  in  upon  them,  and  became  more  preci 
pitous.  The  stream  made  another  bend,  and  they  were 
in  a  ravine  where  the  water  flowed  over  a  rocky  bed 
between  banks  too  steep  to  afford  them  secure  foot 
hold.  The  Susquehannock  swung  himself  down  into 
the  shallow  water,  and  motioned  to  his  companion 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   ROCK  299 

to  do  likewise.  "  Monakatocka  smells  fire,"  he  whis 
pered. 

A  moment  later  they  rounded  an  overhanging,  fern- 
clad  rock,  and  came  full  upon  that  at  which  Landless 
stared  with  a  sharp  intake  of  his  breath,  and  which 
even  his  impassive  guide  greeted  with  a  long-drawn 
"  Ugh !  "  of  amazement. 

Towards  them  brawled  the  impetuous  stream 
through  a  wonderful  gorge.  The  precipitous  hill 
sides,  clothed  with  a  stately  growth  of  oak  and  chest 
nut,  changed  suddenly  into  a  sheer  and  awful  mass  of 
rock.  On  either  side  of  the  stream  towered  up  the 
mighty  walls  until,  two  hundred  feet  above  the  water, 
they  swept  together,  spanning  the  chasm  with  a  ma 
jestic  arch.  Great  trees  crowned  it ;  trailers  of  grape 
and  clematis  made  the  span  one  emerald ;  below, 
through  the  vast  opening,  shone  the  evening  sky  with 
little,  rosy  clouds  floating  across  it.  A  bird,  flashing 
downwards  from  the  far-off  trees,  showed  black  against 
the  carnation  of  the  heavens. 

The  Indian  uttered  another  "  Ugh  !  "  then  stole  for 
ward  a  pace  or  two,  stood  still,  and  waited  for  the 
other  to  come  up.  "  My  brother  sees,"  he  said  sim- 

pty- 

From  a  covert  of  arbor-vitae  they  looked  directly 
up  the  creek  and  through  the  archway.  Beneath  it, 
and  for  a  few  yards  on  the  hither  side,  the  water 
flowed  in  a  narrower  channel,  leaving  a  little  strip 
of  boulder  -  strewn  shore.  With  a  leap  of  his  heart 
Landless  saw,  rising  from  this  shore,  the  blue  smoke 
of  a  newly  kindled  fire,  and  squatting  about  it,  or 
flitting  from  place  to  place,  a  dozen  or  more  dark 
figures.  At  a  little  distance  from  the  fire,  close  against 
the  wall  of  rock,  had  been  hastily  constructed  a  rude 


300  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

shed  or  arbor.  As  he  gazed  at  this  frail  shelter,  he 
saw  the  flutter  of  a  white  gowu  pass  the  opening  which 
served  as  door. 

"  Night  soon,"  said  Monakatocka  at  his  ear.  "  Then 
will  my  brother  see  one  Iroquois  cheat  all  these  Algon 
quin  dogs." 

They  drew  further  back  into  the  dense  shade  of  the 
overhanging  boughs.  A  large  flat  boulder  afforded 
them  a  secure  resting-place,  and  drawing  their  feet 
from  the  stream,  the  two  curled  themselves  up  side  by 
side  upon  its  friendly  surface.  The  Indian  took  some 
slices  of  venison  from  his  wallet,  and  they  made  a 
slender  meal,  then  set  themselves  patiently  to  await 
the  night  and  the  time  for  action.  The  tiny  encamp 
ment  was  hidden  from  them  by  the  thick  boughs,  but 
through  the  screen  of  delicate,  aromatic  leaves  they 
could  see  the  bridge  of  rock.  Around  them  was  the 
stir  and  murmur  of  the  summer  afternoon  —  the  wind 
in  the  trees,  the  whir  of  insects,  the  song  of  birds,  the 
babble  of  the  water  —  but  far  above,  where  the  great 
arch  cut  the  sky,  the  world  seemed  asleep.  The  trees 
dreamed,  resting  against  the  crimson  and  gold  of  the 
heavens.  The  Indian's  appreciation  of  the  wonders  of 
nature  was  limited  —  with  a  grunted,  "  All  safe  :  wake 
before  moonrise,"  he  turned  upon  his  side,  and  was 
asleep. 

His  Anglo-Saxon  neighbor  watched  the  pensive 
beauty  of  the  evening  with  a  softened  heart.  The 
glory  behind  the  tremendous  rock  faded,  giving  place 
to  tender  tints  of  pearl  and  amethyst.  Above  the  dis 
tant  tree  tops  swam  the  evening  star.  In  the  half 
lio-ht  the  shaclowv  forest  on  either  hand  blended  with 

O  »/ 

the  great  bridge  carved  by  some  mysterious  force  from 
the  everlasting  hills.  Together  they  made  a  mountain 


THE   BRIDGE   OF  ROCK  301 

of  darkness  pierced  by  a  titanic  gateway  through 
which  one  looked  into  heavenly  spaces.  The  chant  of 
the  wind  swelled  louder.  It  was  like  the  moan  of 
distant  breakers.  The  night  fell,  and  the  stars  came 
out  one  by  one  until  the  blue  vault  was  thickly  studded. 
Up  and  down  the  sides  of  the  ravine  flickered  millions 
of  fireflies.  Their  restless  glimmer  wearied  the  eyes. 
Landless  raised  his  to  the  one  star,  large,  calm  and 
beautiful,  and  prayed,  then  thought  of  all  that  star 
shone  upon  that  night — most  of  the  white  town  of 
his  boyhood,  lying  fair  and  still  like  a  dream  town, 
above  a  measureless,  slumberous  sea.  A  great  calm 
was  upon  him.  Toil  and  danger  were  past ;  passion 
ate  hope  and  settled  despair  were  past.  That  he  would 
do  what  he  had  come  this  journey  to  do,  he  now  had 
no  doubt,  —  would  not  have  doubted  had  there  been  en 
camped  between  him  and  the  frail  shed  built  against 
the  rock  all  the  Indians  this  side  of  the  South  Sea. 

The  stars  that  shone  through  the  great  archway 
slowly  paled,  the  stream  became  dull  silver,  and  down 
the  towering  darkness  on  either  hand  fell  a  soft  and 
tremulous  light  like  a  veil  of  white  gauze.  Landless 
put  out  his  hand  to  waken  the  sleeping  Indian,  and 
touched  bare  rock.  A  moment  later  the  branches 
before  him  parted.  He  had  heard  no  sound,  but  there, 
within  three  feet  of  him,  were  the  high  features  and 
the  bold  eyes  of  the  Susquehannock. 

"  Monakatocka  has  been  to  the  great  rock,"  he  said 
in  a  guttural  whisper.  "  The  Algonquin  dogs  sleep 
sound,  for  they  do  not  know  that  a  Conestoga  is  on 
their  trail.  They  have  camped  beneath  the  rock  three 
days,  and  they  will  move  on  the  morrow.  They  have 
built  a  shed  for  the  maiden  against  the  rock.  About 
it  lie  the  Kicahecrians,  the  moccasins  of  one  touching 


302  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

the  scalp  lock  of  another.  They  keep  no  watch,  but 
they  have  scattered  dried  twigs  over  all  the  ground. 
Tread  on  them,  and  the  god  of  the  Algonquins  will 
make  them  speak  very  loud.  But  a  Conestoga  is  cun 
ning.  Monakatocka  has  found  a  way." 

"  Then  let  us  go,"  said  Landless,  rising. 

As  they  crept  from  out  their  leafy  covert,  the  moon 
appeared  over  the  tree-tops  far  above  them,  flooding 
the  glen  with  light,  and  making  a  restless  shimmer  of 
diamonds  of  the  rushing  brook.  The  two  men  moved 
warily  up  the  stream,  setting  their  feet  with  care  upon 
the  slippery  stones.  Once  Landless  stumbled,  but 
caught  at  a  huge  boulder,  and  saved  himself  from 
falling,  sending,  however,  a  stone  splashing  down  into 
the  water.  They  drew  themselves  up  within  the 
shadow  of  the  rock,  and  listened  with  straining  ears, 
but  there  came  no  answering  sound  save  the  cry  of  a 
whip-poor-will,  and  they  went  on  their  way.  When 
they  were  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  encampment, 
the  Indian  left  the  stream,  crossed  the  strip  of  earth 
between  it  and  the  cliff,  and  pointed  to  a  broken  and 
uneven  line  that  ran  at  a  height  of  some  five  feet 
from  the  ground  along  the  face  of  the  cliff.  Landless 
looked  and  saw  a  very  narrow  ledge,  a  mere  projec 
tion  here  and  there  of  jagged  and  broken  rock,  a  path 
way  perilous  and  difficult  as  might  well  be  imagined. 
So  narrow  and  insignificant  it  looked,  such  a  mere 
seam  along  the  vast  wall,  that  a  white  man  passing 
through  the  ravine  might  never  have  noticed  it. 

"  It  is  our  path,"  said  the  Susquehannock.  "  It 
leads  above  the  heads  of  these  dogs  and  their  crack 
ling  twigs,  straight  to  where  lies  the  maiden." 

Without  a  word  Landless  caught  at  the  stem  of  a 
cedar  projecting  from  a  fissure  in  the  rock,  and  swung 


THE  BRIDGE  OF  ROCK  303 

himself  up  to  the  cleft.  The  Indian  followed,  and 
with  silence  and  caution  they  commenced  their  dan 
gerous  journey.  Landless  was  no  novice  at  such  work. 
When  a  boy,  he  had  often  rounded  the  face  of  frown 
ing  white  cliffs  with  the  sea  breaking  in  thunder  a 
hundred  feet  below.  Then  a  bird's  nest  had  been  the 
prize  of  high  daring,  death  the  penalty  of  dizziness  or 
a  misstep.  Now,  although  not  two  yards  below  him 
was  the  solid  earth,  a  misstep  would  send  him  crash 
ing  down  to  a  more  fearful  doom  —  but  the  prize  ! 
A  light  was  in  his  eyes  as  he  crept  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  shed  built  against  the  rock. 

They  passed  the  smouldering  embers  of  a  large  fire, 
and  came  full  upon  the  circle  of  sleeping  Indians. 
They  lay  in  the  moonlight  like  fallen  statues,  their 
bronze  limbs  motionless,  their  high,  stern  features  im 
passive  as  death.  From  their  belts  came  the  glint  of 
tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  and  beside  each  warrior 
lay  his  bow  and  quiver  of  arrows.  Only  one  man  had 
a  gun.  It  lay  in  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  its  barrel 
making  a  gleaming  line  against  his  dark  skin.  The 
skin  was  not  so  dark  as  was  that  of  the  other  recum 
bent  figures,  and  the  face,  flung  back  and  pillowed  on 
the  arm,  was  not  the  face  of  an  Indian.  It  was  Luiz 
Sebastian.  He  lay  somewhat  nearer  to  the  shed  than 
did  the  Ricahecrians,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  door 
way  ;  as  Landless  paused  above  him,  he  turned  and 
laughed  in  his  sleep. 

Slowly  and  cautiously  Landless  swung  himself  down 
from  the  ledge,  his  moccasined  feet  touching  ground 
that  was  clear  of  pebbles  and  beyond  the  line  of  twigs. 
He  glanced  back  to  see  the  gigantic  figure  of  the  Sus- 
quehannock,  standing  upi'ight  against  the  rock,  knife 
in  hand,  and  watchful  eyes  roving  from  one  to  the 


304  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

other  of  the  sleeping  warriors,  then  stepped  lightly 
across  the  body  of  the  mulatto,  and  entered  the  hut. 

Within  it  the  darkness  was  gross.  Pausing  a  mo 
ment  to  accustom  his  eyes  to  the  blackness,  there  came 
to  him  from  without  the  hoot  of  an  owl.  It  was  the 
signal  agreed  upon  between  him  and  his  companion, 
and  he  wheeled  to  face  the  danger  it  announced. 

The  lithe,  yellow  figure  that  had  lain  in  front  of 
the  doorway  had  waked.  As  Landless  gazed,  it  rose 
to  its  knees,  then  with  a  quick,  cat-like  grace  to  its 
feet,  stretched  itself,  cast  a  listening  look  around  the 
sleeping  circle,  and  laid  its  gun  softly  down,  then 
with  a  noiseless  step  and  a  smile  upon  its  evil  face,  it 
too  entered  the  hut. 

Landless  waited  until  the  mulatto  was  well  across 
the  threshold,  and  then  sprang  upon  him,  dragging 
him  to  the  ground,  where  he  held  him  with  his  knee 
against  his  chest.  He  writhed  and  struggled,  but  the 
white  man  was  the  stronger,  and  held  him  down :  he 
tried  to  cry  out,  but  the  other's  hands  were  at  his 
throat  choking  the  life  from  him.  Putting  all  his 
strength  into  one  hand,  Landless  felt  with  the  other 
for  his  knife.  The  movement  brought  his  face  for 
ward  into  the  shaft  of  moonlight  that  trembled  through 
the  opening.  "  You !  "  said  the  eyes  of  the  mulatto, 
and  his  clutching  hands  tore  at  the  hand  about  his 
throat.  The  hand  pressed  closer,  and  with  the  other 
Landless  struck  the  knife  into  the  yellow  bosom. 
When  the  writhing  form  was  quite  still,  he  rose  from 
his  knees,  and  looked  down  upon  the  evil  face  flung 
back  to  meet  the  moonlight.  The  struggle  had  lasted 
but  a  minute,  and  had  been  without  sound  —  not  a 
sleeping  savage  had  stirred.  But  he  now  heard  fright 
ened  breathing  within  the  hut.  By  this  his  eyes  were 


THE  BRIDGE  OF  ROCK  305 

accustomed  to  the  darkness,  and  he  made  out  some 
thing  white  niched  into  the  corner  opposite.  As  he 
advanced  towards  it,  it  started  away,  and  would  have 
brushed  past  him,  but  he  seized  it.  "  Madam  !  "  he 
whispered.  "  Do  not  scream.  It  is  I,  Godfrey  Land 
less." 

In  the  darkness  he  felt  the  rigor  of  terror  leave  the 
form  which  he  held.  It  swayed  against  him,  and  the 
head  fell  back  across  his  arm.  He  raised  the  fainting 
figure,  and  stepping  across  the  body  of  the  mulatto 
issued  from  the  shed,  to  find  Monakatocka  standing 
beside  the  entrance,  knife  in  hand,  and  watchfully  I 
regardful  of  the  sleeping  Ricahecrians. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE    BACKWARD   TRACK 

LANDLESS  turned  to  the  pathway  by  which  they 
had  come,  but  the  Indian  shook  his  head,  and  pointing 
to  the  stream  which,  making  a  sudden  turn,  brawled 
along  at  their  very  feet,  stepped  noiselessly  down  into 
the  water,  first,  however,  possessing  himself  of  Luiz 
Sebastian's  gun,  which  lay  upon  the  ground  beside  the 
hut.  Landless,  following  him  in  silence,  would  have 
turned  his  face  towards  the  river,  but  again  the  Sus- 
quehannock  shook  his  head  and  began  to  make  his 
way  slowly  and  warily  up  stream. 

The  other  knew  how  to  obey.  Holding  with  one 
arm  the  unconscious  form  of  the  woman  he  had  come 
so  many  leagues  to  seek,  and  with  the  other  steadying 
himself  by  boulder  and  projecting  cliff,  he  followed 
his  companion  past  the  sleeping  Ricahecrians,  out  of 
the  shadow  of  the  great  arch,  into  the  splendor  of  the 
moonlight  beyond.  It  was  not  until  they  had  gone  a 
long  distance,  past  vast,  scarred  cliffs,  through  close, 
dark,  scented  tunnels  formed  by  the  overarching 
houghs  of  great  arbor-vita3S,  up  smooth  slides  where 
the  water  came  down  upon  them  in  long,  unbroken, 
glassy  green  slopes,  that  Landless  said,  in  a  low  voice  : 

"  Why  do  we  go  up  this  stream  instead  of  back  to 
the  river?  It  is  their  road  we  are  traveling." 

The  faint,  reluctant  smile  of  the  Indian  crossed  the 
Susquehannock's  face.  "  The  white  man  is  very  wise 


THE   BACKWARD   TRACK  307 

except  when  he  is  in  the  woods.  Then  he  is  as  if 
every  brook  ran  fire-water  and  he  had  drunk  of  them 
all.  A  pappoose  could  trick  him.  When  these 
Algonquin  dogs  wake  and  find  the  fawn  fled  and  the 
yellow  slave  killed,  they  will  cast  about  for  our  trail, 
and  they  will  find  that  we  came  up  from  the  river. 
Then,  when  they  find  no  backward  track,  but  only 
that  we  entered  the  water  there,  before  the  maiden's 
hut,  they  will  think  that  we  have  gone  down  the 
stream,  back  to  the  river.  They  will  go  down  to  the 
river  themselves,  but  when  they  have  reached  it  they 
will  not  know  what  to  do.  They  will  think,  '  They 
who  come  after  the  Ricahecrians  into  the  Blue  Moun 
tains  must  be  many,  with  great  hearts  and  with  guns.' 
They  will  think,  '  They  came  in  boats,  and  one  of  their 
braves  and  one  Iroquois,  stealing  up  this  stream,  came 
upon  the  Ricahecrians  when  Kiwassa  had  closed  their 
eyes  and  their  ears,  and  stole  away  the  fawn  that  the 
Ricahecrians  had  taken,  and  killed  the  man  who  fled 
with  them  from  the  palefaces.'  And  it  will  take  a 
long  time  for  them  to  find  that  there  were  no  boats 
and  that  but  two  real  men  have  followed  them  into 
the  Blue  Mountains,  for  I  covered  our  trail  where  this 
stream  runs  into  the  river  very  carefully.  After  a 
while  they  will  find  it,  and  after  another  while  they 
will  find  that  the  chief  of  the  Conestogas  and  his 
white  brother  and  the  maiden  have  gone  up  the 
stream,  and  they  will  come  after  us.  But  that  will 
not  be  until  after  the  full  sun  power,  and  by  then 
we  must  be  far  from  here." 

"It  is  good,"  said  Landless  briefly.  "  Monaka- 
tocka  has  the  wisdom  of  the  woods." 

"  Monakatocka  is  a  great  chief,"  was  the  sententious 
reply. 


308  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  follow  us  when  they  find 
how  greatly  we  have  the  start  of  them  ?  " 

"  They  will  be  upon  our  track,  sun  after  sun,  keen- 
eyed  as  the  hawk,  tireless  as  the  wild  horses,  hungry 
as  the  wolf,  until  we  reach  the  tribes  that  are  friendly 
to  the  palefaces.  And  that  will  be  many  suns  from 
now.  I  told  my  brother  that  we  followed  Death  into 
the  Blue  Mountains.  Now  Death  is  upon  our  trail." 

They  came  to  a  rivulet  that  emptied  itself  into  the 
larger  stream,  and  the  Susquehannock  led  the  way 
up  its  bed.  Presently  they  reached  a  gently  sloping 
mass  of  bare  stone,  a  low  hill  running  some  distance 
back  from  the  margin  of  the  stream. 

"  Good,"  grunted  the  Susquehannock.  "  The  moc 
casin  will  make  no  mark  here  that  the  sun  will  not 
wipe  out." 

They  clambered  out  upon  the  rock  and  stood  look 
ing  down  the  ravine  through  which  they  had  come. 
"  My  brother  is  tired,"  said  the  Indian.  "  Monaka- 
tocka  will  carry  the  maiden." 

"  I  am  not  tired,"  Landless  answered. 

The  Indian  looked  at  the  face,  thrown  back  upon 
the  other's  shoulder.  "  She  is  fair,  and  whiter  than 
the  flowers  the  maidens  pluck  from  the  bosom  of  the 
pleasant  river." 

"  She  is  coming  to  herself,"  said  Landless,  and  laid 
her  gently  down  upon  the  rock. 

Presently  she  opened  her  eyes  quietly  upon  him  as 
he  knelt  beside  her.  "  You  came,"  she  said  dreamily. 
"I  dreamt  that  you  would.  Where  are  my  father 
and  my  cousin  ?  " 

"  Seeking  you  still,  madam,  I  doubt  not,  though  I 
have  not  seen  them  since  the  day  after  you  were 
taken.  They  went  up  the  Pamunkey  and  so  missed 


THE   BACKWARD  TRACK  309 

you.  Thanks  to  this  Susquehannock,  I  am  more  for 
tunate." 

She  lay  and  looked  at  him  calmly,  no  surprise,  but 
only  a  great  peace  in  her  face.  "  The  mulatto,"  she 
said,  "  I  feared  him  more  than  all  the  rest.  When  I 
saw  him  enter  the  hut  I  prayed  for  death.  Did  you 
kill  him?" 

"  I  trust  so,"  said  Landless,  "  but  I  am  not  certain, 
I  was  in  too  great  haste  to  make  sure." 

"  I  do  not  care,"  she  said.  "  You  will  not  let  him 
hurt  me  —  if  he  lives  —  nor  let  the  Indians  take  me 
again  ?  " 

"  No,  madam,"  Landless  said. 

She  smiled  like  a  child  and  closed  her  eyes.  In  the 
moonlight  which  blanched  her  streaming  robe  and  her 
loosened  hair  that,  falling  to  her  knees,  wrapped  her 
in  a  mantle  of  spun  gold,  she  looked  a  wraith,  a  crea 
ture  woven  of  the  mist  of  the  stream  below,  a  Lorelei 
sleeping  upon  her  rock.  Landless,  still  upon  his  knee 
beside  her,  watched  her  with  a  beating  heart,  while 
the  Susquehannock,  leaning  upon  his  gun,  bent  his 
darkly  impassive  looks  upon  them  both.  At  length 
the  latter  said,  "  We  must  be  far  from  here  before 
the  dogs  behind  us  awake,  and  the  Gold  Hair  cannot 
travel  swiftly.  Let  us  be  going." 

"  Madam,"  said  Landless. 

She  opened  her  eyes  and  he  helped  her  to  her  feet. 
"  We  must  hasten  on,"  he  said  gently.  "  They  will 
follow  us  and  we  must  put  as  many  leagues  as  possible 
between  us  before  they  find  our  trail." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  that !  "  she  said,  with  dilating 

O 

eyes.     "  I  thought  it  was  all  past  —  the  terror  —  the 

horror !       Let   us   go,    let   us    hasten !  I    am   quite 

strong ;  I  have  learned  how  to  walk  through  the 
woods.  Come  ! 


310  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

The  Indian  glided  before  them  and  led  the  way 
over  the  friendly  rocks.  They  left  them  and  found 
themselves  upon  a  carpet  of  pine  needles,  and  then  in 
a  dell  where  the  fern  grew  rankly  and  the  rich  black 
earth  gave  like  a  sponge  beneath  their  feet.  Here 
the  Indian  made  Landless  carry  Patricia,  and  him 
self  came  last,  walking  backwards  in  the  footprints  of 
the  other,  and  pausing  after  each  step  to  do  all  that 
Indian  cunning  could  suggest  to  cover  their  trail. 
They  came  to  more  rocky  ledges  and  walked  along 
them  for  a  long  distance,  then  found  and  went  up  a 
wide  and  shallow  stream.  Slowly  the  pale  light  of 
dawn  diffused  itself  through  the  forest.  In  the 
branches  overhead  myriads  of  birds  began  to  flutter 
and  chirp,  the  squirrels  commenced  their  ceaseless 
chattering,  and  through  the  white  mist,  at  bends  of 
the  stream,  they  saw  deer  coming  from  the  fern  of  the 
forest  to  drink.  A  great  hill  rose  before  them,  bare 
of  trees,  covered  only  with  a  coarse  growth  of  grass 
and  short  blue  thistles  in  which  already  buzzed  a 
world  of  bees  ;  they  climbed  it  and  from  the  summit 
watched  a  ball  of  fire  rise  into  the  cloudless  blue. 
The  morning  wind,  blowing  over  that  illimitable 
forest,  fanned  their  brows,  and  a  tide  of  woodland 
sound  and  incense  swept  up  to  them  from  the  world 
below.  Around  them  were  the  Blue  Mountains  — 
gigantic  masses,  cloudy  peaks,  vast  ramparts  rising 
from  a  sea  of  mist  —  mysterious  fastnesses,  scarcely 
believed  in  and  never  seen  by  the  settlers  of  the  level 
land  —  a  magic  country  in  which  they  placed  much 
gold  and  the  wandering  colonists  of  Roanoke,  the 
South  Sea,  and  long-gowned  Eastern  peoples. 

"  Oh,  the  mountains  !  "  said  Patricia.  "  The  dread 
ful,  frowning  mountains  !  When  will  we  be  quit  of 


THE  BACKWARD  TRACK  311 

them  ?  When  will  we  reach  the  level  land  and  the 
blue  water?  " 

"  Before  many  days,  I  trust,"  said  Landless.  "  See, 
our  faces  are  set  to  the  east  —  towards  home." 

She  stood  in  silence  for  a  moment,  her  face  lifted, 
the  color  slowly  coming  back  to  her  cheeks  and  the 
light  to  her  eyes,  then  said  suddenly  :  — 

"  Did  my  father  send  you  after  me  ?  " 

"  No,  madam." 

"  Then  how  are  you  here?  " 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  smile.  "  I  broke  gaol  — 
and  came." 

A  shadow  crossed  her  face,  but  it  was  gone  in  a 
moment.  "  I  am  very  grateful,"  she  said.  "  You 
have  saved  me  from  worse  than  death." 

"  It  is  I  that  am  thankful,"  he  answered. 

They  descended  the  hill  in  silence  and  found  the 
Susquehannock,  who  had  preceded  them,  squatted 
before  a  fire  which  he  had  kindled  upon  a  flat  rock 
beside  one  of  the  innumerable  streamlets  that  wound 
here  and  there  over  the  land. 

"  The  dogs  yonder  will  need  Iroquois  eyes  to  spy 
out  this  trail,"  he  said  with  grim  satisfaction,  as  they 
came  up  to  him.  "  Let  my  brother  and  the  Gold 
Hair  rest  by  the  fire,  and  Monakatocka  will  go  into 
the  forest  and  get  them  something  to  eat." 

He  was  gone,  his  gigantic  figure  looking  larger 
than  life  as  he  moved  through  the  mist  which  still 
filled  the  hollow  between  the  hills,  and  Landless  and 
Patricia  sat  themselves  down  beside  the  fire.  Land 
less  piled  upon  it  the  dead  wood  with  which  the  ground 
was  strewn,  and  the  flames  leaped  and  crackled,  send 
ing  up  thin  blue  smoke  against  the  hillside  and  red 
dening  the  bosom  of  the  placid  stream.  When  he 


312  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

had  finished  his  task  and  taken  his  seat,  there  fell  a 
silence  and  constraint  upon  the  man  and  woman, 
brought  through  so  many  strange  and  wayward  paths, 
through  lives  so  widely  differing,  to  this  companion 
ship  in  the  heart  of  a  waste  and  savage  world.  They 
sat  opposite  each  other  in  the  ruddy  light  of  the  fire, 
and  each,  looking  into  the  dark  or  glowing  hollows, 
saw  there  the  same  thing  —  the  tobacco  house  and 
what  had  there  passed. 

"  I  wish  to  believe  in  you,"  said  Patricia  at  last, 
lifting  appealing  eyes  to  the  opposite  face.  "But 
how  can  I  ?  You  lied  to  me  !  " 

Landless  raised  his  head  proudly.  "  Madam,  will 
you  listen  to  me  —  to  my  defense  if  you  will  ?  You 
are  a  Royalist:  I  am  a  Commonwealth  man.  Can 
you  not  see,  that  as  ten  years  ago,  in  the  estimation 
of  you  and  yours,  it  was  all  that  was  just  and  heroic 
for  a  Cavalier  to  plot  the  downfall  of  the  Government 
which  then  was,  both  here  and  at  home,  so  they  of 
the  Commonwealth  saw  no  disgrace  in  laboring  for 
their  cause,  a  cause  as  real  and  as  high  and  as  holy 
to  them,  madam,  as  was  that  of  the  Stuart  and  the 
Church  to  the  Cavalier.  .  .  .  And  will  not  the  slave 
fight  for  his  liberty  ?  Is  it  of  choice,  do  you  think, 
that  men  lie  rotting  in  prison,  in  the  noisome  holds  of 
ships,  are  bought  and  sold  like  oxen,  are  chained  to 
the  oar,  to  the  tobacco  field,  are  herded  with  the  refuse 
of  the  earth,  are  obedient  to  the  finger,  to  the  whip  ? 
We  —  they  who  are  known  as  Oliverians,  and  they 
who  are  felons,  and  I  who  am,  if  you  choose,  of  both 
parties,  were  haled  here  with  ropes.  What  allegiance 
did  we  owe  to  them  who  had  cast  us  out,  or  to  them 
who  bought  us  as  they  buy  dumb  beasts  ?  As  God 
lives,  none  !  We  were  no  longer  regarded  as  men, 


THE  BACKWARD   TRACK  313 

we  were  chattels,  animals,  slaves,  caged,  and  chained. 
And  as  the  caged  beast  will  break  his  bars  if  he  can, 
so  we  strove  to  break  ours.  You  have  been  a  captive, 
madam.  Is  not  freedom  sweet  to  you?  We  also 
longed  for  it.  We  staked  our  lives  upon  the  throw 
—  and  lost.  That  dream  is  over,  —  let  it  go  !  ... 
There  is  honor  among  rebels,  madam,  as  among 
thieves.  That  morning  after  the  storm,  I  had  the 
choice  of  lying  to  you  or  of  becoming  a  traitor  indeed. 
.  .  .  But  as  to  what  I  had  before  asked  you  to  be 
lieve,  that  was  the  truth,  is  the  truth.  I  know  that 
in  your  eyes  I  am  still  the  rebel  to  the  King,  well  de 
serving  the  doom  which  awaits  me,  but  if,  after  what 
I  say  to  you,  by  the  faith  of  a  gentleman,  before  the 
God  who  is  above  the  stillness  of  these  hills,  you  still 
believe  me  criminal  in  aught  else,  you  wrong  me  much, 
you  wrong  yourself  !  " 

He  ceased  abruptly,  and  rising,  began  to  heap 
more  wood  upon  the  fire.  The  figure  of  the  Indian, 
with  something  dark  upon  its  shoulder,  emerged  from 
the  spectral  forest,  and  came  towards  them  through 
the  mist. 

"  Monakatocka  has  found  our  breakfast,"  said 
Landless,  forcing  himself  to  speak  with  indifference, 
and  without  looking  at  his  companion.  "  I  am  glad 
of  it,  for  you  must  be  faint  from  hunger." 

"  I  am  very  thirsty,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice. 

"  If  you  will  come  to  the  water's  edge,  that  at  least 
can  be  quickly  remedied." 

She  rose  from  the  rock  upon  which  she  had  been 
seated  and  followed  him  down  to  the  brink  of  the 
little  stream.  "  I  would  I  had  a  cup  of  gold,"  he 
said,  "  and  here  is  not  even  a  great  leaf.  Will  you 
drink  from  my  hands,  madam  ?  " 


314  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Yes,"  she  said  ;  then  deliberately,  after  a  pause, 
*'  for  I  well  believe  them  to  be  clean  hands." 

Her  own  hand  touched  his  as  she  spoke,  and  he  put 
it  to  his  lips  in  silence.  Kneeling  upon  the  turf  by 
the  stream,  he  raised  the  water  in  his  hands  and  she 
stooped  and  drank  from  them,  and  then  they  went 
back  to  the  fire  and  sat  beside  it  without  speaking 
until  the  arrival  of  Monakatocka,  laden  with  a  wild 
turkey.  An  hour  later  the  Susquehannock  carefully 
extinguished  the  fire,  raked  all  the  embers  and  ashes 
into  the  stream,  hid  beneath  great  rocks  the  debris 
of  their  morning  meal,  obliterated  all  moccasin  prints, 
and  having  made  the  little  hollow  between  the  hills  to 
all  appearance  precisely  as  it  was  a  few  hours  before, 
when  the  foot  of  man  had  probably  never  entered  it, 
stepped  into  the  stream  and  announced  that  they 
were  ready  to  pursue  their  journey.  Before  midday, 
the  stream  winding  to  the  south,  they  left  it,  and 
plunging  into  the  dark  heart  of  the  forest  pushed 
rapidly  on  with  their  faces  to  the  east. 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

THE    HUT    IN   THE    CLEARING 

FIVE  days  later  saw  the  wayfarers  some  thirty 
leagues  to  the  eastward  of  the  hollow  in  the  hills. 
They  had  traveled  swiftly,  sleeping  but  a  few  hours 
of  each  night  and  in  the  daytime  pausing  for  rest 
only  when  Landless,  quietly  watchful,  saw  the  wear 
iness  growing  in  the  eyes  of  the  woman  beside 
him,  or  noted  her  lagging  footsteps.  They  had  left 
the  higher  mountains  behind  them,  but  still  moved 
through  what  seemed  an  uninhabited  territory.  No 
Indian  village  crowned  the  hills  above  the  streams ; 
they  encountered  no  roving  bands ;  no  solitary  hunter 
met  them  ;  nowhere  was  there  sign  of  human  life.  If 
their  enemies  were  upon  their  track,  they  knew  it  not 
—  perfect  peace,  perfect  solitude  seemed  to  encom 
pass  them.  Still  the  Indian  was  vigilant ;  covering 
their  trail  with  unimaginable  ingenuity,  taking  advan 
tage  of  every  running  stream,  every  stony  hillside, 
building  a  fire  only  in  some  hidden  hollow  or  fold  of 
the  hills,  using  his  bow  and  arrow  to  bring  down  the 
deer  or  wild  fowl  which  furnished  them  food  —  he 
stalked  behind  them,  or  sat  bolt  upright  against  the 
tree  or  rock  beneath  which  they  had  made  their  rest 
ing  place,  tireless,  watchful,  the  breathing  image  of 
caution.  If  he  slept,  it  was  a  sleep  from  which  the 
sound  of  a  falling  acorn,  the  sleepy  stir  of  a  partridge 
in  the  fern  was  sufficient  to  awaken  him.  Sometimes 


316  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

they  rested  by  fires,  for  they  heard  the  wolves  through 
the  darkness  ;  upon  the  nights  when  this  was  neces 
sary  the  Susquehannock  sat  with  his  gun  across  his 
knees,  piercing  the  darkness  in  every  direction  with 
keen  and  restless  eyes.  Nothing  worse  than  the 
wolves  —  cowardly  as  yet,  for  though  drawing  swiftly 
nearer,  winter  and  famine  were  still  distant  —  threat 
ened  them  ;  no  sound  other  than  the  forest  sounds 
disturbed  them ;  through  the  scant  undergrowth  or 
over  the  moss  and  partridge  berry  brushed  nothing 
more  appalling  than  bear  or  badger.  But  the  Indian 
watched  on. 

Day  after  day  Landless  and  Patricia  walked  side  by 
side  through  the  reddening  forest.  His  hands  stead 
ied  her  over  crags  or  down  ravines,  or  broke  a  way 
for  her  through  vast  beds  of  sassafras  or  mile-long 
tangles  of  wild  grape,  and  when  their  way  lay  along 
the  bed  of  streams  he  carried  her.  She  had  no  need 
to  complain  of  fatigue,  for  he  saw  when  she  was  weary, 
and  called  a  halt.  At  their  rustic  meals  he  waited 
upon  her  with  grave  courtesy,  and  when  they  halted 
for  the  night  he  made  her  couch  of  fallen  leaves  and 
wove  for  it  a  screen  of  branches.  They  spoke  but 
little  and  only  of  the  needs  of  the  hour.  She  bore 
herself  towards  him  kindly  and  gently,  thanking  him 
with  voice  and  smile  for  all  that  he  did  for  her,  and 
there  was  no  mistrust  in  her  eyes ;  but  he  saw,  or 
fancied  he  saw,  a  shadow  in  their  depths,  and  think 
ing,  "  She  does  not  forget,  and  neither  must  I,"  he 
set  a  watch  upon  himself,  and  bounds,  across  which 
he  was  not  to  step. 

Upon  the  afternoon  of  the  sixth  day  they  were 
passing  through  a  deep  and  narrow  ravine  —  a  mere 
crack  between  two  precipitous,  heavily  wooded  moun- 


THE  HUT  IN  THE  CLEARING  317 

tains  —  when  the  Indian  stopped  short  in  his  tracks 
and  uttered  a  warning  "  Ugh  !  "  then  bent  forward  in 
a  listening  attitude. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Landless  in  a  low  voice.  "  I 
hear  nothing." 

"  It  is  a  sound,"  said  the  other  in  the  same  tone. 
"  I  do  not  know  what  yet,  for  it  is  far  off.  But  it  is 
in  front  of  us." 

"  Shall  we  go  on  ?  "  demanded  Landless,  and  the 
Indian  nodded. 

It  was  late  afternoon,  and  the  hills  which  closed  in 
behind  them  as  the  gorge  writhed  to  left  and  right 
hid  the  sun.  Great  trees,  too,  pine  and  chustnut, 
walnut  and  oak,  leaned  towards  each  other  from  the 
opposing  banks,  and  together  with  the  overhanging 
rocks,  mantled  with  fern,  made  a  twilight  of  the  pass 
beneath.  Here  and  there  the  silver  stem  of  a  birch 
stood  up  tall  and  straight,  and  looked  a  ghostly  sen 
tinel.  "  Do  you  hear  it  still  ?  "  demanded  Landless 
when  they  had  gone  some  distance  in  dead  silence. 

"  Yes." 

"  And  still  in  front  of  us  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Ah;  what  can  it  be?"  cried  Patricia,  turning  her 
white  face  upon  Landless. 

A  cold  wind,  blowing  from  open  spaces  beyond, 
rushed  up  the  ravine.  "  I  hear  a  very  faint  sound," 
said  Landless,  "  like  the  tapping  of  a  woodpecker  in 
the  heart  of  the  forest." 

"  It  is  the  sound  of  the  axe  of  the  white  man,"  said 
the  Indian.  "  Some  one  is  cutting  down  a  tree." 

"  There  can  be  no  ranger  or  pioneer  within  many 
leagues  of  us !  "  exclaimed  Landless.  "  No  white 
man  hath  ever  come  so  far.  It  must  be  an  Indian  !  " 


318  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

The  Susquehannock  shook  his  head.  "  "Why  should 
an  Indian  cut  down  a  tree  ?  We  kill  them  and  let 
them  stand  until  they  are  bare  and  white  like  the 
bones  of  a  man  when  the  wolves  have  finished  with 
him,  and  they  fall  of  themselves." 

"  If  my  father  still  searches  for  me,"  said  Patricia 
in  a  low  voice,  "  may  it  not  be  his  party  that  we  hear  ? 
There  may  be  a  stream  there.  They  may  make 
canoes." 

"  With  all  my  heart  I  pray  that  it  be  so,  madam," 
said  Landless.  "  But  we  will  soon  know.  See,  Mona- 
katocka  has  gone  on  ahead." 

She  did  not  answer,  and  they  walked  on  through 
the  gloom  of  the  defile.  Presently  their  path  became 
rough  and  broken,  blocked  with  large  stones  and 
heavily  shadowed  by  cedars  projecting  from  the  rocks 
above  and  draped  with  vines.  He  held  out  his  hands 
and  she  took  them,  and  he  helped  her  across  the  rough 
places.  He  felt  her  hands  tremble  in  his,  and  he 
thought  it  was  with  the  ecstasy  of  the  hope  which 
inspired  her. 

"  If  it  is  indeed  so,"  she  said  once  in  a  voice  so  low 
that  he  had  to  bend  to  catch  the  words,  "  if  it  is 
indeed  my  father,  then  this  is  the  last  time  you.  will 
help  me  thus." 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  steadily.     "  The  last  time." 

They  passed  the  rocks  and  came  to  where  the  ravine 
widened.  The  sound  that  had  perplexed  them  was 
now  plainly  audible ;  there  was  no  mistaking  the 
quick,  ringing  strokes  of  the  axe.  They  rounded  a  jut 
ting  cliff  and  abruptly  emerged  from  the  chill  dark 
ness  of  the  gorge  upon  a  noble  landscape  of  hill  and 
valley,  autumn  woods  and  flowing  water,  all  bathed 
in  the  golden  light  of  the  sinking  sun  and  inestimably 


THE   HUT  IN   THE   CLEARING  319 

bright  and  precious  of  aspect  after  the  gloom  through 
which  they  had  been  traveling.  But  it  was  not  the 
beauty  of  the  scene  which  drew  an  exclamation  from 
them  both.  At  a  little  distance  rose  a  knoll,  covered 
with  short  grass  and  fading  golden-rod,  and  with  its 
base  laved  by  a  crystal  stream  of  some  width,  and 
upon  the  knoll,  shaded  by  a  couple  of  magnificent 
maples,  and  covered  with  the  pale  and  feathery  bloom 
of  the  wild  clematis,  stood  a  small,  rude  hut.  Smoke 
rose  from  its  crazy  chimney,  and  upon  the  strip  of 
greensward  before  the  door  rolled  a  little,  half-naked 
child  —  a  white  child.  As  the  travelers  stared  in 
amazement,  a  woman's  voice  rang  out,  freshly  and 
sweetly,  in  an  English  ballad.  The  trees  had  been 
cleared  away  from  around  the  knoll,  and  in  their  place 
rose  the  yellowing  stalks  of  Indian  corn.  The  little 
mound,  feathered  with  the  gold  of  the  golden-rod  and 
girt  with  the  gold  of  the  maize,  rose  like  a  fairy  isle 
from  the  limitless  sea  of  forest,  and  the  apparition  of 
a  troop  of  veritable  elves  would  have  astonished  the 
wanderers  less  than  did  the  tiny  cabin,  the  romping 
child,  and  the  clear  song  of  the  woman. 

The  Indian  glided  to  their  side  from  behind  the 
trunk  of  an  oak.  "  Ugh,"  he  said  with  emphasis. 
"  He  is  mad  and  so  he  has  his  scalp  still."  As  he 
spoke  he  pointed  to  where,  at  a  little  distance,  a  man, 
with  his  back  turned  to  the  forest,  was  busily  felling 
a  tree. 

"  He  dares  much,"  said  Landless.  "  We  did  not 
think  to  see  the  face  of  a  white  man  —  pioneer,  ranger, 
trapper  or  trader  —  for  many  a  league  yet.  He  has 
built  his  house  in  the  jaws  of  the  wolf." 

Patricia  gazed  at  the  hut  with  wistful  eyes.  "  There 
is  a  woman  there,"  she  said,  and  Landless  heard  her 


320  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

voice  tremble  for  the  first  time  in  their  long,  toilsome 
and  painful  journey.  "  There  is  no  need  to  pass  them 
by,  is  there  ?  It  looks  very  fair  and  peaceful.  May 
we  not  rest  here  for  this  one  night?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Landless  gently,  reading,  as  he  read  all 
her  fancies  and  desires,  her  longing  for  the  companion 
ship  of  a  woman,  though  for  so  short  a  time.  The 
Indian,  too,  nodded  assent.  "  Good  !  but  Monaka- 
tocka  will  watch  to-night." 

They  moved  through  the  checkered  light  and  shade 
towards  the  man  who  worked  at  the  foot  of  the  knoll. 
They  were  quite  near  him  when  the  woman,  whose 
voice  they  had  heard,  came  to  the  door  of  the  cabin, 
shaded  her  eyes  with  her  hand,  looked  towards  the 
ravine,  and  saw  the  three  figures  emerging  from  it. 
With  a  loud  cry  she  snatched  up  the  child  at  her  feet 
and  rushed  down  the  knoll  towards  the  man,  who  at 
the  sound  of  her  voice  dropped  his  axe,  caught  up  a 
musket  which  leaned  against  a  stump  beside  him,  and 
wheeling,  presented  the  gun  at  the  newcomers. 

"  Give  me  your  kerchief,  madam,"  said  Landless, 
and  advanced  with  the  white  lawn  in  his  hand. 

"  Halt !  "  cried  the  man  with  the  gun. 

"  We  are  friends,"  called  Landless.  "  This  lady 
and  I  are  from  the  Settlements.  This  Indian  is  not 
Algonquin,  but  Iroquois  —  a  Susquehannock,  as  you 
may  tell  by  his  size.  You  need  have  no  fear.  We 
are  quite  alone." 

The  man  slowly  lowered  his  gun.  "  What,  in  the 
name  of  all  the  fiends,  do  you  here  ?  "  he  said,  wiping 
away  with  the  back  of  his  hand  the  cold  sweat  that 
had  sprung  to  his  forehead.  He  was  a  tall  man  with 
a  sinewy  frame  and  a  dare-devil  face,  tanned  to  well- 
uiirh  the  hue  of  the  Indian. 


THE   HUT  IN   THE  CLEARING  321 

"  I  might  ask  the  same  question  of  you,"  said 
Landless,  coming  up  to  him  with  a  smile.  "  This 
lady  was  captured  and  carried  off  by  a  band  of  roving 
Ricahecrians  who  bore  her  into  the  Blue  Mountains. 
We  ask  your  hospitality  for  to-night.  The  lady  is 
very  weary,  and  she  has  not  seen  the  face  of  a  woman 
for  many  weeks.  Your  good  wife  will  entreat  her 
kindly,  I  know." 

The  woman,  who  now  stood  beside  the  man,  smiled, 
but  doubtfully ;  the  man's  face  too  was  clouded,  and 
there  was  an  uneasy  light  in  his  eyes.  Landless, 
looking  steadily  at  him,  saw  upon  his  forehead  a  mark 
which  served  to  explain  his  evident  perturbation. 

"  You  need  not  fear  me,"  he  said  quietly.  "  'T  is 
none  of  our  business  how  you  come  to  be  here  in  this 
wilderness,  so  far  from  what  has  been  counted  the 
furthest  outpost." 

The  man,  feeling  his  gaze  upon  him,  raised  his 
hand  with  an  involuntary  motion  to  his  forehead,  then 
dropped  it,  awkwardly  enough. 

"  I  see,"  said  Landless.  "  I  understand.  I  have 
been  —  I  am  —  a  servant.  A  runaway,  too,  if  you  like. 
I  have  been  in  trouble.  I  would  not  betray  you  if  I 
could  :  that  I  cannot,  goes  without  saying.  Now,  will 
you  shelter  us  for' this  night  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  man,  his  face  clearing.  "  As  you 
say,  you  couldn't  do  us  harm  if  you  would,  seeing 
that  masters,  and  d — d  overseers,  and  bloodhounds 
are  at  the  world's  end  for  us.  We  are  beyond  their 
reach.  Bring  up  the  lady.  Joan,  here,  will  see  to 
her." 

An  hour  later  the  woman  and  Patricia  sat  side  by 
side  upon  the  doorstep  in  the  long  mountain  twilight. 
At  their  feet  the  little  child  crowed  and  clapped  its 


322  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

hands,  and  plucked  at  the  golden-rod  growing  about 
the  door.  Below  them,  beside  the  placid  stream,  the 
owner  of  the  hut  and  Godfrey  Landless  paced  slowly 
up  and  down,  now  disappearing  into  the  shadow  of  the 
trees,  now  dimly  seen  in  the  open  spaces,  while  the 
Indian  lay  at  full  length  beneath  the  maples,  with  his 
eye  upon  the  blackness  of  the  ravine  down  which  they 
had  come. 

"  It  is  fair  to  look  upon,  and  peaceful,"  Patricia 
said  dreamily,  "  but  Danger  lives  in  these  dreadful 
mountains.  Why  did  you  come  here  ?  " 

"  We  came  because  we  loved,"  the  woman  said 
simply. 

"  But  why  into  the  very  land  of  the  savages,  so  far 
from  safety,  so  far  from  the  Settlements  ?  " 

The  woman  turned  her  eyes  upon  the  beautiful  face 
beside  her  and  studied  it  in  silence. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  she  said  at  last,  "  for  I  believe 
you  are  as  good  as  you  are  beautiful,  and  you  are 
as  beautiful  as  an  angel.  And,  though  I  can  see 
that  you  are  a  lady,  yet  you  are  woman  too,  as  I  am, 
and  you  have  suffered  much,  as  I  have,  and  have 
loved  too,  I  think,  as  I  have  loved." 

"  I  have  never  loved,"  said  Patricia. 

The  woman  smiled,  and  shook  her  head.  "  There 
is  a  look  in  the  eyes  that  only  comes  with  that.  I 
know  it."  She  gathered  the  child  to  her,  and  beating 
its  little  hand  against  her  bosom,  began  her  story  :  — 

"  It  is  four  years  since  I  signed  to  come  to  the 
Plantations,  to  become  the  servant  of  an  up-river 
planter  —  and  to  better  myself.  It  was  a  hard  life, 
my  lady,  a  hard  life  —  you  cannot  guess  how  hard.  .  .  . 
One  day  a  neighboring  planter  sent  a  message  to  my 
master,  and  I  (for  I  served  in  the  house)  took  it  from 


THE   HUT  IN  THE   CLEARING  323 

the  messenger.  The  messenger  was  one  that  I  had 
known  in  the  village  at  home,  in  England.  He  had 
left  home  to  make  his  fortune,  and  I  had  not  heard 
of  him  for  a  long  time.  They  used  to  call  me  his 
sweetheart.  When  I  saw  him  I  cried  out,  and  he 
caught  my  hands  in  his.  .  .  .  After  that  we  met 
whenever  we  could,  on  Sundays,  on  Instruction  days, 
whenever  chance  offered.  He  had  tried  to  run  away 
twice  befoi'e  we  met,  but  he  never  tried  afterwards. 
His  master  was  a  hard  man  —  mine  was  worse  .  .  . 
After  a  while  we  began  to  meet  in  secret  —  at  night 
.  .  .  You  are  a«  lady  —  that  is  different  —  you  cannot 
understand  ;  but  I  loved  him,  loved  him  as  well  as 
any  lady  in  the  land  could  love ;  better,  maybe  .  .  . 
There  came  a  night  when  I  was  followed,  and  taken, 
and  he  with  me."  She  broke  off  to  smell  at  the  scent 
less  spear  of  golden-rod  which  the  child  held  up,  and 
to  say,  "  Yes,  my  darling,  pretty,  pretty,  pretty,"  then 
went  on  with  her  eyes  following  the  figures  walking 
up  and  down  beside  the  stream.  "  The  next  night 
found  us  in  the  sheriff's  hands,  in  the  gaol  at  the 
courthouse.  Oh  that  blank,  dreadful,  heavy  night ! 
I  felt  the  lash  already  —  I  did  not  mind  that  —  but  I 
saw  the  platform  and  the  post,  and  the  gaping  crowd 
beneath.  I  thought  of  him,  and  my  heart  was  sick ; 
I  thought  of  my  mother,  and  my  tears  fell  like  rain. 
.  .  .  There  was  a  noise  at  the  window,  and  I  stood 
upon  my  stool  to  see  what  it  was.  It  was  he  !  He 
had  a  knife  and  he  worked  and  wrenched  at  the  bars 
until  he  had  wrenched  them  away,  then  dragged  me 
through  the  window  and  we  stood  together  beneath 
the  stars  —  free  !  Another  moment  and  we  were  down 
at  the  water  side  and  into  a  boat  which  was  fastened 
there.  We  loosed  it  and  rowed  with  all  our  speed  up 


324  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

the  river.  He  had  killed  the  gaoler  and  gotten  away, 
bringing  with  him  a  musket  and  an  axe.  All  that 
night  we  rowed,  and  when  morning  broke  we  were 
well-nigh  past  the  settlements,  for  we  had  been  far 
up  river  to  begin  with.  That  day  we  hid  in  the  reeds, 
but  when  night  came  we  sped  up  the  stream.  We 
came  to  the  falls  of  the  far  west  and  left  our  boat 
there.  For  many  days  we  walked  through  the  woods, 
hurrying  on,  day  after  day,  for  when  we  lay  down  at 
night,  I  saw  in  my  dreams  the  flash  of  the  torches 
and  heard  the  baying  of  the  hounds.  After  a  long 
while  we  came  to  an  Indian  village  not  many  leagues 
from  here,  and  there  we  found  the  mercies  of  the  sav 
age  kinder  than  the  mercies  of  the  white  man.  They 
may  have  thought  us  mad  —  I  do  not  know  —  but 
they  did  not  harm  us.  There  we  dwelt  for  a  time, 
in  the  stranger's  wigwam,  and  there  the  child  was 
born."  She  pressed  the  little  hand  which  she  held, 
and  which  she  had  never  ceased  to  beat  against  her 
bosom,  to  her  lips.  "  He  would  have  stayed  in  the 
village,  but  in  sleep  I  still  heard  the  bloodhounds,  and 
we  left  the  friendly  Indians  and  pressed  on.  We 
came  upon  this  knoll  on  just  such  an  evening  as 
this  —  the  light  in  the  west,  and  the  stream  very  still, 
with  a  large  white  star  shining  down  upon  it.  We 
lay  down  beside  it,  and  that  night  I  slept  without  a 
dream.  .  .  .  We  have  been  here  ever  since,  and  here 
we  shall  stay  until  we  die." 

"It  is  fair  now,"  said  Patricia,  "but  in  a  little 
while  it  will  be  winter  and  very  cold." 

"  Bitterly  cold,"  said  the  woman.  "  The  snow  lies 
long  in  these  hills,  and  the  wind  howls  down  the 
ravine." 

"  And  the  wolves  are  bold  in  winter." 


THE   HUT   IN   THE   CLEARING  325 

"  Very  bold.  This  scar  upon  my  arm  is  from  the 
teeth  of  one  which  I  fought  here,  on  the  very  thresh 
old." 

"  The  Indians  threaten  always,  summer  or  winter." 

"Ay,  sooner  or  later  they  will  come  against  us. 
We  shall  die  that  way  at  last.  But  what  does  it 
matter  —  so  that  we  die  together  ?  " 

The  lady  of  the  manor  turned  her  pure,  pale  face 
upon  the  other  with  wonder,  and  yet  with  comprehen 
sion,  written  upon  it. 

"  You  are  happy  !  "  she  said,  almost  in  a  whisper. 

"  Yes,  I  am  happy,"  the  woman  answered,  a  light 
that  was  not  from  the  faintly  crimson  west  upon  her 
face. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

ATTACK 

ABOUT  midnight,  Landless,  lying  upon  the  dirt 
floor  of  the  lean-to  attached  to  the  one  room  of  the 
cabin,  felt  a  hand  upon  his  shoulder  and  opened  his 
eyes  upon  a  shadowy  figure,  blocking  up  the  starlight 
that  came  faintly  in  at  the  open  door. 

"  Hist !  "  said  the  figure.     "  Ricahecrians  !  " 

Landless  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  My  God  !  You 
are  sure  ?  " 

"  They  are  coming  out  of  the  ravine.  You  will 
hear  the  whoop  directly." 

The  owner  of  the  hut,  stirred  by  the  Susquehan- 
nock's  foot,  started  up.  Such  an  alarm  being  about 
the  least  surprising  thing  that  could  happen,  he  kept 
his  wits,  and  after  the  first  intake  of  the  breath  and 
exclamation  of,  "  Indians  !  "  he  went  about  his  pre 
parations  coolly  enough.  Rushing  into  the  cabin 
where  Landless  had  already  waked  the  women,  he 
groped  for  his  tinder  box,  and  with  a  steady  hand 
struck  a  light  and  fired  a  pine  knot  which  he  stuck 
into  a  block  of  wood  pierced  to  receive  it ;  then 
jerked  from  the  wall  his  musket  and  powder  horn. 

"  You  both  have  guns,"  he  said  coolly.  "  Good  ! 
We  '11  die  fighting."  The  woman  had  flown  to  the 
door,  had  seen  that  the  heavy  wooden  bars  were 
drawn  across  it,  and  now  stood  beside  him  with  a 
resolute  face,  and  an  axe  in  her  hands. 


ATTACK  327 

A  moment  of  silence,  and  then  the  quiet  night  was 
cleft  by  the  war  whoop  —  dreadful  sound,  forerunner 
of  death  and  torture,  concentrating  in  its  savage 
cadence  all  ideas  of  terror!  A  moment  more,  and 
there  came  the  sound  of  many  moccasined  feet  and 
the  hurling  of  many  bodies  against  the  door.  The 
door  held,  and  the  man  put  the  muzzle  of  his  gun 
in  one  of  the  cracks  between  the  logs  and  fired. 
The  explosion  was  followed  by  a  yell.  Shot  and 
cry  preluded  pandemonium.  Without  were  demon 
iacal  cries,  quick  crashing  blows  against  the  door, 
stealthy  feet,  clambering  forms ;  within  were  smoke 
and  the  noise  of  the  muskets,  the  crying  of  the  child, 
and  a  red  and  flickering  light  which  now  brought 
out  each  detail  of  the  rude  interior,  now  plunged  all 
into  shadow. 

"  We  are  making  it  hot  for  them,"  cried  the  owner 
of  the  hut,  reloading  his  musket.  "  There  's  some 
shall  go  to  hell  before  we  do.  Joan,  my  girl  — 

An  arrow,  whistling  through  a  crack,  pierced  his 
brain  and  he  fell  to  the  , ground  with  a  crash.  The 
shriek  that  the  woman  set  up  was  answered  from 
without  by  a  triumphant  yell,  and  then  one  voice 
was  heard  speaking. 

"  It  is  the  mulatto !  "  cried  Patricia,  clasping  her 
hands. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Landless  grimly.  "  I  thought  I 
had  done  for  that  devil,  but  it  seems  not.  May  I 
have  better  luck  this  time  !  " 

"  Ugh  !  "  said  the  Indian,  and  pointed  to  the  roof, 
which  was  low  and  thatched  with  dried  grass  and 
moss. 

"  I  see,"  said  Landless.  "  The  cabin  is  on  fire. 
We  must  leave  it  in  five  minutes,  come  what  may." 


328  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  We  will  never  leave  it  alive,"  the  Indian  said 
calmly.  "  The  dogs  have  us  fast.  The  Chief  of  the 
Conestogas  will  die  in  a  strange  land  ;  his  bones  will 
be  a  plaything  for  the  wolves  of  the  mountains  ;  his 
scalp  will  hang  before  the  wigwam  of  an  Algonquin 
dog.  Pie  will  never  see  the  village  and  the  pleasant 
river,  never  will  he  smoke  the  peace  pipe,  he  and  his 
braves,  with  the  Wyandots  and  the  Lenni  Lenape, 
sitting  beneath  the  mulberries  in  front  of  the  lodge. 
He  will  never  see  the  cornfeast.  He  will  never  dance 
the  war  dance  again,  nor  will  he  lead  the  war  party. 
The  sagamore  dies,  and  who  will  tell  his  tribe  ?  He 
falls  like  a  leaf  in  the  forest,  like  a  pebble  that  is 
cast  into  the  water.  The  leaf  is  not  seen :  the  stream 
closes  above  the  pebble  —  it  is  gone  !  "  His  voice 
rose  into  a  chant,  stern  and  mournful,  and  his  vast 
form  appeared  to  expand,  to  become  taller.  He  threw 
down  his  gun  and  drew  his  long,  bright  knife. 

"  They  are  upon  us  !  "  cried  Landless,  and  thrust 
Patricia  behind  him. 

The  rude  door,  constructed  of  the  trunks  of  sap 
lings,  bound  together  with  withes,  crashed  inwards, 
coming  to  the  floor  with  a  tremendous  noise,  and  a 
dozen  savages  precipitated  themselves  into  the  cabin. 
Landless  fired,  bringing  one  to  his  knee  ;  then  clubbed 
his  musket  and  swung  it  over  his  shoulder.  Between 
him  and  the  Susquehannock,  standing  beside  him 
with  bent  body  and  knife  drawn  back  against  his 
breast,  and  the  invaders,  was  a  space  some  few  feet 
in  width,  and  in  this  space  something  dreadful  now 
happened. 

On  one  side  lay  the  body  of  the  man  with  the 
woman  crouched  above  it,  on  the  other  a  pile  of 
skins  upon  which  lay  the  little  child.  It  had  sobbed 


ATTACK  329 

itself  into  exhaustion  and  quiet,  but  terrified  afresh 
by  the  savage  forms  pouring  through  the  doorway, 
the  increased  and  awful  clamor,  the  flames  which  had 
now  seized  upon  the  walls,  and  the  choking  smoke 
which  filled  the  hut,  it  now  scrambled  from  the  pallet, 
and  with  a  weak  cry  started  across  the  space  towards 
its  mother.  It  crossed  the  path  of  the  Bicahecrian 
chief  —  he  glanced  downwards,  saw  the  tiny  tottering 
figure  with  its  outstretched  arms,  caught  it  up,  and 
holding  it  by  its  feet,  dashed  its  head  against  the 
ground.  The  cry  which  the  child  uttered  as  he 
raised  it  reached  the  until  then  deaf  ears  of  the 
mother.  She  started  up  with  a  shriek  that  rang 
high  above  the  yelling  of  the  savages,  and  darted 
forward,  only  to  receive  at  her  very  feet  the  mangled 
form  of  the  baby  she  had  sung  to  sleep  but  a  few 
hours  before.  She  caught  it  to  her  breast  and  with 
another  dreadful  cry  rushed  upon  the  savage.  He 
met  her,  seized  her  free  arm,  raised  it,  and  plunged 
his  knife  into  her  bosom.  Still  clasping  the  child  to 
her  bosom,  she  fell  without  a  groan,  while  the  Indian 
bounded  on  towards  the  three  who  yet  remained  alive. 
The  Susquehannock  met  him.  "  A  chief  for  a 
chief,"  he  said  with  a  cold  smile,  and  the  two  locked 
together  in  a  deadly  embrace.  When  the  Ilicahe- 
crian  was  dead,  the  Susquehannock  turned  to  find 
Landless  —  one  Indian  dead  before  him,  another  writh 
ing  away  like  a  wounded  snake  —  confronting  across 
the  body  at  his  feet  the  graceful  figure  and  the 
amber-hued,  evil,  smiling  face  of  Luiz  Sebastian.  So 
strong  were  the  flames  by  now,  and  so  dense  and 
stifling  the  smoke,  that  of  the  score  or  more  who  had 
broken  into  the  cabin  but  few  remained  within  its 
walls,  which  were  fast  becoming  those  of  a  furnace, 


330  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

the  majority  retreating  to  the  fresh  air  outside, 
whence  they  whooped  on  to  their  devil's  work  the 
bolder  spirits  within. 

These  now  bore  down  en  masse  upon  the  devoted 
three.  One  threw  his  tomahawk  ;  it  whistled  within 
half  an  inch  of  Landless's  head,  and  stuck  into  the 
wall  behind  him.  Another  struck  at  him  with  his 
knife,  but  he  beat  him  down  with  his  musket,  and 
turned  again  to  the  mulatto,  who,  knife  in  hand, 
watched  his  chance  to  run  in  upon  him. 

"  Look  to  the  yellow  slave,  my  brother,"  cried  the 
Susquehannock,  "  I  will  care  for  these  dogs,"  and 
hurled  his  gigantic  form  upon  them.  One  went  down 
before  his  knife ;  he  broke  the  back  of  another,  bend 
ing  him  like  a  reed  across  his  knee  ;  a  third  fell,  cleft 
to  the  brain  by  his  tomahawk  —  there  was  a  fresh  in 
flux  from  without,  and  he  was  borne  down  and  knives 
thrust  into  him.  Struggling  to  his  feet,  with  one 
last  superhuman  exertion  of  his  vast  strength,  he 
shook  them  off  as  a  stag  shakes  off  the  dogs,  and 
stretching  out  his  arm,  cried  to  Landless,  dimly  seen 
through  the  ever  thickening  smoke  ;  — 

"  My  brother,  farewell !  I  said  we  should  find 
Death  in  the  Blue  Mountains.  .  .  .  The  Iroquois 
laughs  at  the  Algonquin  dogs,  laughs  at  Death  — 
dies  laughing." 

He  broke  into  wild,  unearthly,  choking  laughter,  his 
figure  swaying  to  and  fro  like  a  pine  in  a  storm.  The 
laughter,  an  indescribable  and  most  dreadful  sound, 
became  low,  choked,  a  mere  rattle  in  the  throat,  died 
into  silence,  and  the  laugher  crashed  to  the  ground 
like  a  pine  for  which  the  storm  has  been  too  much. 

Landless  drew  a  breath  that  was  like  a  moan,  but 
kept  his  eyes  upon  the  yellow  menace  before  him. 


ATTACK  331 

"  The  Kicahecrians  are  my  good  friends,"  said  Luiz 
Sebastian.  "  They  promise  me  a  wigwarn  in  their 
village  in  the  Bide  Mountains.  I  shall  lead  to  it  a 
bride,  and  she  shall  be  no  Indian  girl." 

Landless  struck  at  him  over  the  dead  body  be 
tween  them,  but  the  mulatto,  springing  back,  avoided 
the  blow. 

"  It  is  my  hour,"  he  said,  still  with  a  smile. 

A  portion  of  the  roof  fell  in,  making  a  barrier  of 
flame  between  them.  A  volume  of  smoke  arose,  and 
through  it  Landless  and  Patricia  dimly  saw  Indians 
and  mulatto  making  for  the  doorway,  driven  forth  by 
the  intolerable  heat  and  the  imminent  danger  of  the 
burning  walls  and  the  remainder  of  the  roof  caving  in 
upon  them.  Beyond  Landless  was  the  square  opening 
leading  into  the  tiny  shed  in  which  he  had  been  sleep 
ing  when  this  midnight  visitation  came  upon  them. 
Raising  Patricia  in  his  arms,  he  made  for  it,  and  they 
presently  found  themselves  in  temporary  security.  It 
was  but  for  a  moment,  he  knew,  for  the  flames  were 
already  taking  hold  upon  the  shed,  but  as  he  set  his 
burden  down  he  whispered  encouraging  words. 

"  I  know,"  she  answered.  "  We  are  in  God's  hands. 
I  would  rather  die  than  to  come  into  that  man's  power. 
But  the  door  to  the  shed  is  open  and  the  way  seems 
clear.  Could  we  not  escape  even  now?" 

"  Alas  !  madam,  the  flames  make  it  as  light  as  day 
around  the  cabin.  They  would  certainly  see  us.  And 
yet  if  we  stay,  we  burn.  When  the  fire  reaches  this 
straw  above  our  heads  we  will  try  it." 

"  I  would  rather  stay  here,"  said  Patricia. 

Behind  them  the  flames  roared  and  crackled,  the 
cabin  burning  like  a  torch,  and  with  the  flames  rose 
and  fell  the  triumphant  cries  of  the  savages,  who, 


332  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

unaware  of  the  existence  of  the  tiny  shed,  so  covered 
with  the  vines  that  draped  the  cabin  that  it  seemed 
one  with  it,  congregated  in  front  of  the  gap  in  the 
wall  where  had  been  the  door,  and  waited  for  their 
still  living  victims  to  emerge  from  it. 

"  Look !  "  breathed  Patricia,  grasping  Landless's 
arm. 

They  stood  facing  the  open  door  of  the  shed,  and 
gazing  through  it  down  the  lit  slope  of  the  knoll. 
Into  the  light,  out  of  the  darkness  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  now  glided  a  man,  naked  save  for  the  loin  cloth, 
and  painted  with  horrible  devices ;  in  the  figure, 
noiseless  and  bent  forward,  savage  cunning;  in  the 
eyes,  the  lust  for  blood.  In  his  footsteps  came  his 
double,  then  a  third,  in  all  points  exactly  similar, 
then  a  fourth,  a  fifth  —  a  long  line,  creeping  as  si 
lently  as  shadows  —  a  nightmare  procession  —  up 
through  the  lurid  light. 

Landless  drew  Patricia  further  into  the  shadow. 

"  Wait,"  he  said.  "  They  may  prove  our  deliver 
ance." 

The  stealthy  line  reached  the  summit  of  the  knoll, 
then  broadened  into  a  disc,  and  swept  past  the  frail 
shelter  in  which  stood  the  fugitives.  A  moment,  and 
the  war  whoop  rang  out,  to  be  answered  by  a  burst  of 
yells  from  the  Ricahecrians,  and  then  by  prolonged 
and  awful  clamor. 

"  Now  is  our  time,"  said  Landless. 

Hand  in  hand  they  ran  from  the  shed  that  was  now 
in  a  light  flame,  and  down  the  slope  up  which  had 
come  the  band  of  unconscious  Samaritans. 

"  The  stream  !  "  said  Landless.  "  There  is  a  small 
raft  upon  it  if  they  have  not  destroyed  it." 

They  made  for  the  water,  found  the  raft  hidden  in 


ATTACK  333 

a  clump  of  reeds  and  uninjured,  and  stepped  upon  it. 
In  ten  minutes'  time  from  the  appearance  of  the  new 
factor  in  the  sum  they  were  moving  steadily,  if  slowly, 
down  a  stream  so  wide  that  in  Europe  it  would  have 
been  called  a  river.  The  glare  from  the  burning  cabin 
faded,  the  flaming  mass  itself  shrunk  until  it  looked  a 
burning  bush,  then  dwindled  to  a  star.  The  noise  of 
the  struggle  upon  the  mount  was  with  them  longer, 
but  at  length  it,  too,  died  away. 

"  Which  will  conquer  ?  "  said  Patricia  at  last,  from 
where  she  crouched  at  the  feet  of  Landless,  who  stood 
erect,  poling. 

"  The  Bicahecrians  were  the  stronger,"  he  answered. 
"  But  they  may  be  so  handled  that  they  will  not  come 
at  us  again.  That  must  be  our  hope." 

There  followed  a  long  silence,  broken  by  Patricia. 

"  The  baby,"  she  said  in  a  quivering  voice,  "  the 
poor,  pretty,  innocent  little  thing !  " 

"  It  is  well  with  it,"  said  Landless.  "  It  is  spared 
all  toil  and  suffering.  It  is  better  as  it  is." 

"  The  man  and  woman  went  together,"  said  Pa 
tricia,  still  with  the  sob  in  her  voice.  "  They  woidd 
have  chosen  it  so,  I  think.  But  the  poor  Indian  — 

"  He  was  my  friend,"  said  Landless  slowly,  "  and  I 
brought  him  death." 

"  It  is  I  that  brought  him  death !  "  cried  Patricia, 
tossing  up  her  arms.  "  I  that  shall  bring  you  death  !  " 

Her  voice  rose  into  a  cry  that  echoed  drearily  from 
the  hills  about  them,  and  she  beat  her  hands  against 
the  raft  with  a  sudden  passion. 

"  You  would  bring  me  no  unwelcome  gift,"  said 
Landless  steadily,  "  provided  only  that  the  time  when 
I  could  serve  you  with  my  life  were  past." 

She  did  not  answer,  and  they  floated  on  in  silence 


334  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

down  the  little  river,  between  banks  lined  with  dwarf 
willows  and  sighing  reeds.  With  the  dawn  they  came 
to  rapids  through  which  they  could  not  pilot  their 
frail  craft.  Leaving  the  water,  they  turned  their 
faces  towards  the  rising  sun,  and  pursued  their  jour 
ney  through  the  forest  that  seemed  to  stretch  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

THE    FALL    OF   THE   LEAF 

DAYS  passed,  and  the  forest  put  on  a  beauty,  aus 
tere,  yet  fantastic,  bizarre.  Above  it  hung  a  pale 
blue  sky ;  within  it,  a  perpetual,  pale  blue  haze,  through 
which  blazed  the  scarlet  and  gold  of  the  trees  —  great 
bonfires  which  did  not  warm,  flaming  pyres  which 
were  never  consumed.  'Morning  and  evening  a  shroud 
of  chill,  white  mist  fell  upon  them,  or  they  would  have 
mocked  the  sunrise  and  the  sunset.  Along  the  sum 
mit  of  low  hills  ran  a  comb  of  fire  —  the  scarlet  of 
the  sumach,  leaf  and  berry ;  underfoot  were  crimson 
vines  like  trails  and  splashes  of  blood ;  into  the  streams 
from  which  the  wanderers  stooped  to  drink,  fell  the 
gold  of  the  sycamore.  From  the  hills  they  looked 
down  upon  a  red  and  yellow  world,  a  gorgeous  bour 
geoning  and  blossoming  that  put  the  spring  to  shame, 
a  sea  of  splendor  with  here  and  there  a  dark-green  isle 
of  cedar  or  of  pine.  Day  after  day  saw  the  same  calm 
blue  sky,  the  same  blue  haze,  the  same  slow  drifting 
of  crimson  and  gold  to  earth.  The  winds  did  not 
blow,  and  the  murmur  of  the  forest  was  hushed.  All 
sound  seemed  muffled  and  remote.  The  deer  passed 
noiseless  down  the  long  aisles,  the  beaver  and  the  otter 
slipped  noiseless  into  the  stream,  the  bear  rolled  its 
shambling  bulk  away  from  human  neighborhood  like 
a  shapeless  shadow.  At  times  vast  flocks  of  wild 
pigeons  darkened  the  air,  but  they  passed  like  a  cloud. 


336  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

The  singing  birds  were  gone.  Only  at  night  did  sound 
awake,  for  then  the  wolves  howled,  and  the  infre 
quent  scream  of  the  panther  chilled  the  blood,  and  the 
fires  which  the  wanderers  must  needs  build  roared 
and  crackled  through  the  darkness.  In  the  daytime 
beauty,  vast  and  melancholy;  in  the  night,  shadows 
and  mysteries,  the  voice  of  wild  beasts  and  the  still 
ness  of  the  stars ;  at  all  times  an  enemy,  they  knew 
not  how  far  away  or  how  near  at  hand,  behind  them. 

Through  this  world  which  seemed  more  a  phantasm 
than  a  reality,  Landless  and  Patricia  fared,  and  were 
happy.  All  passion,  all  fear,  all  mistrust  and  anger 
slept  in  that  enchanted  calm.  They  never  spoke  of 
the  past,  they  had  well-nigh  ceased  to  think  of  it. 
When  they  knelt  upon  the  turf  beside  some  crystal 
brook,  and  drank  of  the  water  which  seemed  red  wine 
or  molten  gold  according  to  the  nature  of  the  trees 
above  it,  it  might  have  been  the  water  of  Lethe. 

In  the  illimitable  forest,  too,  in  the  monotony  of 
sunshine  and  shade,  of  glade  and  dell,  of  crystal 
streams  and  tiny  valleys,  each  the  counterpart  of  the 
other,  in  dense  woods  and  grassy  savannahs ;  in  the 
yesterday  so  like  to-day,  and  the  to-day  so  like  to 
morrow,  there  was  no  hint  of  the  future.  It  was  en 
chanted  ground,  where  to-morrow  must  always  be  like 
to-day.  They  kept  their  faces  to  the  east,  and  they 
walked  each  day  as  many  leagues  as  her  strength 
would  permit,  and  Landless,  imitating  as  best  he 
could  the  dead  Susquehannock,  took  all  precautions 
to  cover  their  trail ;  but  that  done  all  was  done,  and 
they  put  care  behind  them.  Landless,  walking  in  a 
dream,  knew  that  it  was  a  dream,  and  said  to  himself, 
"  I  must  awaken,  but  not  yet.  I  will  dream  and  be 
happy  yet  a  little  while."  But  Patricia  dreamt  and 


THE  FALL  OF  THE  LEAF        337 

knew  it  not.  She  kept  her  wonted  state,  or,  rather, 
with  a  quiet  insistence  he  kept  it  for  her.  He  never 
addressed  her  save  as  "  Madam,"  and  he  cared  for  her 
comfort,  and  in  all  things  bore  himself  towards  her 
with  the  formal  courtesy  he  would  have  shown  a 
queen.  He  said  to  himself,  "  Godfrey  Landless,  God 
frey  Landless,  thou  mayst  forget  much,  perhaps,  for  a 
little  while ;  but  not  this !  If  thou  dost,  thou  art  no 
honorable  man." 

Master  of  himself,  he  walked  beside  her,  cared  for 
her,  tended  her,  guarded  her,  served  her  as  if  he  had 
been  a  knight-errant  out  of  a  romance,  and  she  a 
distressed  princess.  And  she  rewarded  him  with  a 
delicate  kindliness,  and  a  perfectly  trustful,  childlike 
dependence  upon  his  strength,  wisdom,  and  resource. 
All  her  bearing  towards  him  was  marked  by  an  inex 
pressible  charm,  half-playful,  wholly  gracious  and 
womanly.  The  lady  of  the  manor  was  gone,  and  in 
her  place  moved  the  Patricia  Verney  of  the  enchanted 
f oi-est  —  a  very  different  creature. 

Thus  they  fared  through  the  dying  summer,  and 
were  happy  in  the  present  of  soft  sunshine,  tender 
haze,  fantastic  beauty.  Sometimes  they  walked  in 
silence,  too  truly  companions  to  feel  the  need  of  words  ; 
at  other  times  they  talked,  and  the  hours  flew  past, 
for  they  both  had  wit,  intelligence,  quick  fancy,  high 
imagination.  Sometimes  their  laughter  rang  through 
the  glades  of  the  forest,  and  set  the  squirrels  in  the 
oaks  to  chattering  ;  sometimes  in  the  melancholy  grace 
of  the  evening  when  the  purple  twilight  sank  through 
the  trees,  and  the  large  stars  came  out  one  by  one, 
they  spoke  of  grave  things,  of  the  mysteries  of  life 
and  death,  of  the  soul  and  its  hereafter.  She  had 
early  noticed  that  he  never  lay  down  at  night  without 


338  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

having  first  silently  prayed.  There  had  been  a  time 
when  she  would  have  laughed  at  this  as  Puritan  hypo 
crisy,  but  now,  one  dark  night,  when  the  noises  of  the 
forest  were  loud  about  them,  and  the  wind  rushed 
through  the  trees,  she  came  close  to  him  and  knelt 
beside  him.  Thenceforward  each  night,  before  they 
lay  down  beside  their  fire,  and  when  from  out  the 
darkness  came  all  weird  and  mournful  sounds,  when 
the  owl  hooted,  and  the  catamount  screamed,  and  the 
long  howl  of  the  wolf  was  answered  by  its  fellow,  he 
stood  with  bared  head,  and  in  a  few  short,  simple 
words  commended  them  both  to  God.  "  I  will  both 
lay  me  down  in  peace  and  sleep,  for  Thou,  Lord,  only 
makest  me  to  dwell  in  safety." 

There  came  a  day  when  they  sat  down  to  rest  upon 
the  dark,  smooth  ground  in  a  belt  of  pines,  and  looked 
between  rows  of  stately  columns  to  where,  in  the  dis 
tance,  the  arcade  was  closed  by  a  broken  and  confused 
glory  of  crimson  oak  and  yellow  maple.  Landless  told 
her  that  it  was  like  gazing  at  a  rose  window  down  the 
long  nave  of  a  cathedral. 

"  I  have  never  seen  a  cathedral,"  she  said  ;  "  I  have 
dreamed  of  them,  though,  of  your  Milton's  '  dim  reli 
gious  light,'  and  of  the  rolling  music." 

"  I  have  seen  many,"  he  answered.  "  But  none  of 
them  are  to  me  what  the  abbey  at  Westminster  is.  If 
you  should  ever  see  it  —  " 

Something  in  her  face  stopped  him ;  there  was  a 
silence,  and  then  he  said  quietly :  — 

"  When  you  shall  see  it,  is  perhaps  better,  madam  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  gazing  before  her  with  wide 
fixed  eyes. 

He  did  not  finish  his  sentence,  and  neither  spoke 
again  until  they  had  left  the  pines  and  were  forcing 


THE  FALL  OF  THE  LEAF        339 

their  way  through  the  tall  grass  and  reeds  of  a  wide 
savannah.  They  came  to  a  small,  clear  stream,  dotted 
with  wild  fowl  and  mirroring  the  pale  blue  sky,  and 
he  lifted  her  in  his  arms  as  was  his  wont  and  bore 
her  through  the  shallow  water.  As  he  set  her  gently 
down  upon  the  other  side,  she  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  I 
thought  you  knew.  Had  it  not  been  for  that  night, 
that  night  which  sets  us  here,  you  and  I,  —  I  should 
be  now  in  London,  at  Whitehall,  at  some  masque  or 
pageant  perhaps.  I  should  be  all  clad  in  brocade  and 
jewels,  not  like  this  — "  She  touched  her  ragged 
gown  as  she  spoke,  then  burst  into  strange  laughter. 
"  But  God  disposes  !  And  you  — 

"  I  should  be  in  a  place  which  is  never  mentioned 
at  Court,  madam,"  said  Landless  grimly.  "  The 
grave,  to  wit.  Unless  indeed  his  Excellency  proposed 
hanging  me  in  chains." 

She  cried  out  as  though  she  had  been  struck. 
"  Don't !  "  she  said  passionately.  "  Don't  speak  to 
me  so !  I  will  not  bear  it ! "  and  ran  past  him  into  the 
woods  beyond  the  savannah. 

When  he  came  up  with  her  he  found  her  lying  on  a 
mossy  bank  with  her  face  hidden. 

"  Madam,"  he  said,  kneeling  beside  her,  "  forgive 
me." 

She  lifted  a  colorless  face  from  her  hands.  "  How 
far  are  we  from  the  Settlements  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"  I  do  not  know,  madam.  Some  twenty  leagues, 
probably,  from  the  frontier  posts." 

"  How  far  from  the  friendly  tribes  ?  " 

"  Something  less  than  that  distance." 

"  Then  when  we  reach  them,  sir,"  she  said  impe 
riously,  "  you  are  to  leave  me  with  them  at  one  of  the 
villages  above  the  falls." 


340  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  To  leave  you  there  !  " 

"  Yes.  You  will  tell  them  that  I  am  the  daughter 
of  one  of  the  paleface  chiefs,  of  one  whom  the  great 
white  chief  calls  '  brother,'  and  then  they  will  not 
dare  to  harm  me  or  to  detain  me.  They  will  send 
me  down  the  river  to  the  nearest  post,  and  the  men 
there  will  bring  me  on  to  Jamestown,  and  so  home." 

"  And  why  may  not  I  bring  you  on  to  Jamestown 

—  and  so  home  ?  "  demanded  Landless  with  a  smile. 
"  Because  —  because  —  you  know  that  you  are  lost 

if  you  return  to  the  Settlements." 

"  And  nevertheless  I  shall  return,"  he  said  with 
another  smile. 

She  struck  her  hands  together.     "  You  will  be  mad 

—  mad  !     If  you  had  not  been  their  leader  !  —  but  as 
it  is,  there  is  no  hope.     Leave  me  with  the  friendly 
Indians,  then  go  yourself  to  the  northward.      Make 
for  New  Amsterdam.     God  will  carry  you  through 
the  Indians  as  he  has  done  so  far.     I  will  pray  to 
him  that  he  do  so.     Ah,  promise  me  that  you  will 
go!" 

Landless  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it.  "  Were  you 
in  absolute  safety,  madam,"  he  said  gently,  "  and  if  it 
were  not  for  one  other  thing,  I  would  go,  because  you 
wish  it,  and  because  I  would  save  you  any  pang,  how 
ever  slight,  that  you  might  feel  for  the  fate  of  one 
who  was,  who  is,  your  servant  —  your  slave.  I  would 
go  from  you,  and  because  it  else  might  grieve  you,  I 
would  strive  to  keep  my  life  through  the  forest, 
through  the  winter  —  " 

"  Ah,  the  winter !  "  she  cried.  "  I  had  forgotten 
that  winter  will  come." 

"  But  to  do  that  which  you  propose,"  he  continued, 
"  to  leave  you  to  the  mercy  of  fierce  and  treacherous 


THE  FALL  OF  THE  LEAF        341 

Indians,  but  half  subdued,  friends  to  the  whites  only 
because  they  must  —  it  is  out  of  the  question.  To 
leave  you  at  a  frontier  post  among  rude  trappers  and 
traders,  or  at  some  half  savage  pioneer's,  is  equally 
impossible.  What  tale  would  you  have  to  tell 
Colonel  Verney  ?  '  The  Ricahecrians  carried  me 
into  the  Blue  Mountains.  There  your  servant  Land 
less  found  me  and  brought  me  a  long  distance  to 
wards  my  home.  But  at  the  last,  to  save  his  own 
neck,  forfeit  to  the  State,  he  left  me,  still  in  the 
wilderness  and  in  danger,  and  went  his  way.'  My 
honor,  madam,  is  my  own,  and  I  choose  not  to  so  stain 
it.  Again :  I  must  be  the  witness  to  your  story. 
You  have  wandered  for  many  weeks  in  a  wilderness, 
far  beyond. the  ken  of  your  friends.  To  your  world, 
madam,  I  am  a  rebel,  traitor  and  convict,  a  wretch 
capable  of  any  baseness,  of  any  crime.  If  I  go  back 
with  you,  throwing  myself  into  the  power  of  Governor 
and  Council,  at  least  I  shall  be  credited  with  having 
so  borne  myself  towards  my  master's  daughter  as  to 
fear  nothing  from  their  hands  on  that  score.  The 
idle  and  censorious  cannot  choose  but  believe  when 
you  say,  '  I  am  come  scatheless  through  weeks  of 
daily  and  hourly  companionship  with  this  man. 
Rebel,  and  traitor,  and  gaol-bird,  though  he  be,  he 
never  injured  me  in  word,  thought,  or  deed.'  .  .  .  For 
all  these  reasons,  madam,  we  must  be  companions 
still." 

She  had  covered  her  face  while  he  was  speaking, 
and  she  kept  it  hidden  when  he  had  finished.  The 
slowly  lengthening  shadows  of  the  trees  had  barred 
the  little  glade  with  black  when  he  spoke  again.  It 
was  only  to  ask  in  his  usual  voice  if  she  were  rested 
and  ready  to  continue  their  journey. 


342  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

She  raised  her  head  and  looked  at  him  with  swim 
ming  eyes,  then  held  out  two  trembling  hands.  He 
took  them,  helped  her  to  her  feet,  and  before  releas 
ing  them,  bent  and  touched  them  with  his  lips.  Then 
side  by  side  and  in  silence  they  traveled  on  through 
the  halcyon  calm  of  the  world  around  them. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

AN    ACCIDENT 

IT  was  early  morning,  and  the  mist  lay  heavy  upon 
the  forest  and  on  the  bosom  of  the  James.  Landless 
and  Patricia  raked  together  the  dying  embers  of  their 
fire  and  heaped  fresh  wood  upon  them.  The  flames 
leaped  up,  warming  their  chilled  bodies  and  filling 
the  hollow  that  had  been  their  camping  place  with  a 
cheerful  light,  in  which  the  moisture  that  clothed  tree 
bole  and  fallen  log  and  withered  fern  glistened  like 
diamonds.  Their  breakfast  of  deer  meat  and  broiled 
fish,  nuts  and  a  few  late  clusters  of  grape,  with  cold 
est  water  from  a  spring  hard  by,  was  eaten  amidst 
laughter  and  pleasant  talk.  When  they  had  lingered 
through  it  and  when  Landless  had  carefully  extin 
guished  their  fire  and  had  seen  to  the  priming  of  his 
gun,  they  addressed  themselves  to  their  journey. 

A  bowshot  away  was  the  river,  and  Patricia  willed 
that  they  walk  along  its  banks  that  they  might  see 
the  white  mist  lift,  and  the  silver  flash  of  fish  rising 
from  the  water,  and  the  swoop  of  the  kingfisher. 
Landless  agreeing,  they  went  down  to  the  river,  and 
standing  upon  a  rocky  spit  of  ground  which  ran  far 
out  into  the  stream,  they  looked  down  the  misty  ex 
panse,  then  turned  involuntarily  and  looked  up.  At 
that  moment  the  fog  lifted. 

"  Ah  !  "  cried  Patricia,  and  shrunk  back,  cowering 
almost  to  the  ground. 


344  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

Landless  seized  her  in  his  arms  and  ran  with  her 
across  the  shingle  and  up  the  bank.  Plunging  into 
the  woods  he  made  for  the  little  stream  which  flowed 
past  their  camping  place,  and  entering  the  water, 
walked  rapidly  up  it. 

"  Did  they  see  us  ? "  Patricia  asked  in  a  low, 
strained  voice. 

"  I  am  afraid  so." 

"  They  turned  their  boats  towards  the  land.  They 
are  in  the  forest  by  now." 

"  Yes." 

"  And  there  is  no  doubt  that  they  are  the  same.  I 
saw  the  scarlet  handkerchief  upon  the  head  of  the 
mulatto." 

"  Yes,  they  are  the  same." 

"  They  were  such  a  little  way  from  us.  Oh,  they 
may  be  upon  us  at  any  moment !  " 

"  We  are  in  great  danger,"  he  answered  gravely, 
"  but  it  is  not  so  imminent  as  that.  They  were  nearly 
a  mile  above  us,  and  they  have  to  land,  to  hide  their 
boats  and  to  find  our  trail,  all  of  which  will  take 
time.  We  may  count  on  having  an  hour's  start  of 
them,  and  we  will  do  all  in  our  power  to  increase  it 
by  breaking  our  trail  as  we  are  doing  now.  Then  we 
cannot  be  many  leagues  from  the  falls,  and  the  post 
below  them,  or  we  may  stumble  at  any  moment  upon 
some  Monacan  village  which  will  not  need  our  urging 
to  fly  out  against  the  Ricahecrians.  Please  God,  we 
will  win  through  them  yet." 

Somewhat  comforted,  she  lay  within  his  arms  with 
out  speaking  until  they  left  the  stream,  when  he  set 
her  down,  and  giving  her  his  hand,  ran  with  her 
over  the  fallen  leaves  down  the  long  aisles  of  the 
forest. 


AN   ACCIDENT  345 

Red  gold  showers  fell  upon  them ;  fiery  vines 
clutched  at  their  feet,  or,  swinging  from  the  trees, 
struck  at  their  faces  with  vicious  tendrils  ;  the  pines 
made  the  ground  beneath  like  ice  ;  rotting  logs  covered 
with  gorgeous  fungi  barred  their  way  ;  dark  and  poi 
sonous  swamps  appeared  before  them,  and  had  to  be 
skirted  —  the  forest  leagued  itself  with  its  children 
and  did  them  yeoman  service. 

The  two  aliens  hastened  breathlessly  on.  The  sun 
climbed  above  the  tree  tops  and  looked  down  upon 
them  through  the  half  denuded  branches.  Midday 
came,  and  the  short  bright  afternoon,  and  still  they 
went  fast  through  the  woods,  and  still  they  heard  no 
other  sound  than  the  rustle  and  sough  of  the  leaves 
and  the  beating  of  their  own  hearts.  They  came  to 
rising  ground,  and  mounting  it,  found  themselves 
upon  a  chinquepin  ridge,  and  before  them  an  abrupt 
descent  of  rain- washed,  boulder-strewn  earth.  It  was 
so  nearly  a  precipice  that  Patricia  shrunk  back  with 
an  exclamation  of  dismay. 

"  I  will  go  first,"  said  Landless.  "  Give  me  your 
hands.  So  !  " 

Half  way  down,  the  earth  began  to  slip.  Patricia, 
looking  up  and  over  her  shoulder,  uttered  a  cry.  A 
great  boulder,  imbedded  in  the  earth  directly  above 
them,  was  dislodging  itself,  was  falling  !  At  her  cry 
Landless  raised  his  eyes,  saw  the  threatening  mass, 
caught  her  around  the  waist,  and  with  one  supreme 
effort  swung  her  out  of  the  path  of  the  avalanche 
which  descended  the  next  moment,  bearing  him  with 
it  to  the  ground  beneath. 

He  was  recalled  to  consciousness  by  the  dash  of 
water  against  his  face,  and  opened  his  eyes  to  behold 
Patricia  bending  over  him,  very  white,  with  tragic 


346  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

eyes,  and  lips  pressed  closely  together.  She  had  run 
to  the  river,  flowing  through  the  sunshine  a  hundred 
yards  away,  for  water,  which  she  had  brought  back 
in  his  cap,  and  she  had  taken  the  kerchief  from  her 
neck,  wet  it,  and  laid  it  upon  his  forehead.  Her 
hands  were  torn  and  bleeding.  He  saw  them  and 
uttered  an  exclamation.  "  It  is  nothing,"  she  said  :, 
"  I  had  to  move  the  rock."  Scarcely  fully  conscious 
as  yet,  his  eyes  glanced  from  her  to  the  great  rock 
which  lay  upon  one  side,  and  upon  which  there  were 
bloodstains.  "  I  have  had  a  bad  fall,"  he  said  un 
steadily,  but  with  an  attempt  to  speak  lightly  because 
of  the  trouble  in  her  eyes,  "  but  it  is  over.  Come  ! 
we  must  hurry  on.  We  have  no  time  to  lose." 

As  he  spoke  he  strove  to  rise,  but  with  the  effort 
came  a  pang  of  anguish,  and  he  sank  back,  faint  and 
sick,  upon  the  ground. 

"Ah!  you  cannot!  "  cried  Patricia  with  a  great  sob 
in  her  voice.  "It  is  your  foot.  The  rock  fell  upon  it." 

After  a  moment  of  lying  with  closed  eyes,  he  sat  up 
and  with  his  knife  began  to  cut  away  the  moccasin 
from  the  wounded  limb.  Presently  he  looked  up. 
"  Yes,  it  is  badly  crushed.  There  is  no  doing  any 
thing  with  it." 

For  many  moments  they  gazed  at  each  other  in  a 
despairing  silence,  broken  by  Patricia's  low,  "  What 
are  we  to  do  now  ?  " 

"  We  must  go  on,"  answered  Landless.  "  It  is 
death  to  stay  here." 

Holding  by  the  bank  against  which  he  had  leaned, 
he  dragged  himself  up  and  stood  for  an  instant  with 
eyes  dark  with  pain ;  then,  setting  his  lips,  took  a  step 
forward.  The  bronze  of  his  face  paled,  and  beads  of 
anguish  stood  upon  his  brow,  but  he  took  another 


AN   ACCIDENT  347 

step.  Patricia,  the  tears  running  down  her  cheeks, 
came  to  him  and  put  his  arm  around  her  shoulder. 
"  I  will  be  your  crutch,"  she  said,  striving  to  smile. 
"  I  will  carry  the  gun,  too." 

Before  them  was  a  steeply  sloping,  grass-grown 
ascent  rising  to  a  broken  line  of  cliffs,  scarred  and 
gray,  crowned  with  cedars  and  hung  here  and  there 
with  crimson  creepers,  and  with  a  chance  medley  of 
huge  gray  boulders  scattered  about  their  base.  Up 
this  ascent  they  labored,  so  slowly  that  the  crags 
seemed  like  the  mountain  in  the  Arabian  tale,  ever 
receding  as  they  advanced.  Twice  Landless  staggered 
and  fell  to  his  knee,  but  when,  after  what  seemed  an 
eternity  of  pain  and  distress,  they  reached  the  summit 
and  Patricia  would  have  had  him  rest,  he  shook  his 
head  and  motioned  with  his  hand  towards  the  narrow, 
boulder-strewn  plateau  at  the  foot  of  the  crags. 

"With  her  accustomed  unquestioning  obedience  she 
turned  towards  the  rocks,  and  after  another  interval 
of  painful  toil  they  found  themselves  in  a  sort  of  rocky 
chamber,  a  natural  blockhouse,  of  which  the  sheer 
cliff  formed  one  wall  and  boulders  of  varying  height 
and  shape  the  others. 

Above  them  gleamed  the  blue  sky;  through  the  gaps 
between  the  rocks  they  looked  down  upon  the  shining 
river  and  the  parti-colored  woods,  and  behind  them 
towered  the  cliffs.  A  strong  wind  was  blowing  and  it 
sent  red  leaves  from  the  vines  that  draped  the  rock 
whirling  down  upon  them. 

"  The  tall  gray  crags,"  said  Patricia  in  a  strange 
voice,  "  and  the  Martinmas  wind.  The  river  flowing 
in  the  sunshine  too." 

Landless  sank  upon  the  rocky  floor.  "  I  can  go  no 
further,"  he  said.  "  God  help  me !  " 


M8  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

"  I  do  not  think  another  man  could  have  corne  so 
far,"  she  answered.  "  What  are  we  to  do  now  ?  " 

"  You  must  go  on  without  me." 

She  cried  out  angrily,  "  What  do  you  mean  ?  I 
don't  understand  you." 

"  Listen,"  he  said  earnestly,  dragging  himself  closer 
to  her.  "We  can  be  but  a  very  few  leagues  from  the 
falls,  still  fewer  from  the  Indian  villages  above  them. 
Reach  one  of  those  villages  and  you  are  safe  from 
these  devils  at  least.  We  have  kept  the  start  of 
them.  They  may  not  reach  this  spot  for  several 
hours,  and  when  they  come,  I  will  keep  them  here, 
God  helping  me,  for  more  hours  than  one.  This  place 
is  a  natural  fortress,  and  they  have  no  guns.  They  will 
not  take  me  until  my  ammunition  is  exhausted,  and 
you  know  there  is  store  of  bullets  and  powder.  They 
will  think  that  you  are  with  me,  hidden  behind  the 
rocks  —  " 

"  And  I  shall  be  with  you !  "  she  cried  vehemently. 

"  No,  no.  You  must  go  through  this  pass  in  the 
cliff  to  the  right  of  us,  and  thence  down  the  river  with 
all  your  speed.  Please  God,  to-morrow  will  find  you 
in  safety.  It  is  the  only  way.  To  stay  here  is  to  fall 
into  their  hands.  And  you  must  not  delay.  You 
must  go  at  once." 

"  And  you  —   "  she  said  in  a  whisper. 

"  What  does  it  matter  if  I  lose  my  life  to-day 
instead  of  a  few  weeks  hence  ?  I  grieve  for  this," 
with  a  glance  at  his  foot,  "  because  it  keeps  me  from 
being  with  you,  from  guarding  you  into  perfect  safety. 
Otherwise  it  does  not  matter.  You  lose  time,  madam." 

She  stood  with  heaving  bosom  and  foot  tapping  the 
ground,  an  expression  that  he  could  not  read  in  her 
wonderful  eyes.  "I  am  not  going,"  she  said  at  last. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE   BOAT   THAT  WAS   NOT 

"  You  will  not  go  !  "  cried  Landless. 

"  No,  I  will  not !  "  she  answered  passionately. 
"  Why  should  you  think  such  a  thing  of  me  ?  See ! 
we  have  been  together,  you  and  I,  for  long  weeks ! 
You  have  been  my  faithful  guide,  my  faithful  protec 
tor.  Over  and  over  again  you  have  saved  my  life. 
And  now,  now  when  you  are  the  helpless  one,  when  it 
is  through  me  that  you  lie  there  helpless,  when  it  is 
through  me  that  you  are  in  this  dreadful  forest  at  all, 
you  tell  me  to  go !  to  leave  you  to  the  fate  I  have 
brought  upon  you  !  to  save  myself !  I  will  not  save 
myself !  But  the  other  day  it  was  dishonor  in  you  to 
leave  me  below  the  falls  —  almost  in  safety.  Mine 
the  dishonor  if  I  do  what  you  bid  me  do  !  " 

"  Madam,  madam,  it    is  not  with  women  as  with 


men 


"  I  care  not  for  women !  I  care  for  myself. 
Never,  never,  will  I  leave,  helpless  and  wounded,  the 
man  who  dies  for  me  !  " 

"  Upon  my  knees  I  implore  you  !  "  Landless  cried 
in  desperation.  "  You  cannot  save  me,  you  cannot 
help  me.  It  is  you  that  would  make  the  bitterness  of 
my  fate.  Let  me  die  believing  that  you  have  escaped 
these  fiends,  and  then,  do  what  they  will  to  me,  I  shall 
die  happy,  blessing  with  my  last  breath  the  generous 
woman  who  lets  me  give  —  how  proudly  and  gladly 


350  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

she  will  never  know  —  my  worthless  life  in  exchange 
for  hers,  so  young,  bright,  innocent.  Go,  go,  before 
it  is  too  late  !  " 

lie  dragged  himself  a  foot  nearer,  and  grasping  the 
hem  of  her  dress,  pressed  it  to  his  lips.  "Good-bye," 
he  said  with  a  faint  smile.  "  Keep  behind  the  rocks 
for  some  distance,  then  follow  the  river.  Think  kindly 
of  me.  Good-bye." 

"  It  is  too  late,"  she  said.  "  I  can  see  the  river 
through  this  crack  between  the  rocks.  One  of  those 
two  canoes  has  just  passed,  going  down  the  river.  In 
it  were  seven  Ricahecrians  and  the  mulatto.  I  saw 
him  quite  plainly,  for  they  row  close  to  the  bank  with 
their  faces  turned  to  the  woods.  They  will  land  at 
some  point  below  this  and  search  for  our  trail.  When 
they  do  not  find  it,  they  will  know  that  we  are  be 
tween  them  and  the  rest  of  the  band,  and  they  will 
come  upon  us  from  behind.  If  I  go  now,  it  will  be  to 
meet  them.  Shall  I  go  ?  " 

"  No,  no,"  groaned  Landless.  "  It  is  too  late. 
God  help  you !  I  cannot." 

The  large  tears  gathered  in  her  eyes  and  fell  over  her 
white  cheeks.  "  Oh,  why,"  she  said  plaintively,  "why 
did  He  let  you  hurt  yourself  just  now  ?  "  She  turned 
her  face  to  the  rock  against  which  she  was  standing, 
and  hiding  it  in  her  arm,  broke  into  a  low  sobbing.  It 
went  to  the  heart  of  the  man  at  her  feet  to  hear  her. 

Presently  the  weeping  ceased.  She  drew  a  long 
tremulous  sigh,  and  dashed  the  tears  from  her  eyes. 
Her  hands  went  up  to  her  disheveled  hair  in  a  little 
involuntary,  feminine  gesture,  and  she  looked  at  him 
with  a  wan  smile. 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  be  so  cowardly,"  she  said  sim 
ply.  "  I  will  be  brave  now." 


THE  BOAT  THAT  WAS  NOT       351 

"You  are  the  bravest  woman  in  the  world,"  he 
answered. 

Below  them  waved  the  painted  forest  flaunting  tri 
umphant  banners  of  crimson  and  gold.  A  strong 
south  wind  was  blowing,  and  it  brought  to  them  a 
sound  as  of  the  whispering  of  many  voices.  The 
shining  river,  too,  murmured  to  its  reeds  and  pebbles, 
and  in  the  air  was  the  dull  whirr  of  wings  as  the  vast 
flocks  of  wild  fowl  rose  like  dark  smoke  from  the 
water,  or,  skimming  along  its  surface,  broke  it  into 
myriad  diamond  sprays.  Around  the  horizon  towered 
heaped-up  masses  of  cloud  —  Ossa  piled  on  Pelion  — 
fantastic  Jack-and-the-Beanstalk  castles,  built  high 
above  the  world,  with  rampart  and  turret  and  bastion 
of  pearl  and  coral.  Above  rose  the  sky  intensely 
blue  and  calm. 

All  the  wealth,  the  warmth  and  loveliness  of  the 
world  they  were  about  to  leave  flowed  over  the  souls 
of  the  doomed  pair.  In  their  hearts  they  each  said 
farewell  to  it  forever.  Patricia  stood  with  uplifted 
face  and  clear  eyes,  looking  deep  into  the  azure 
heaven.  "  I  am  trying  to  think,"  she  said,  "  that 
death  is  not  so  bitter  after  all.  To-day  is  beautiful  — 
but  ours  will  be  a  fairer  morrow  !  After  to-day  we 
will  never  be  tired,  or  fear,  or  be  in  danger  any  more. 
I  am  not  afraid  to  die  ;  but  ah  !  if  it  could  only  come 
to  us  now,  swiftly,  silently,  out  of  the  blue  yonder ;  if 
we  could  go  without  the  blood  —  the  horror  —  "  she 
broke  off  shuddering.  Her  eyes  closed  and  she  rested 
her  head  against  the  rock.  Landless  watched  the 
beautiful,  pale  face,  the  quivering  eyelids,  the  coral 
underlip  drawn  between  the  pearly  teeth,  in  a  passion 
of  pity  and  despair.  Horrid  visions  of  torture  flashed 
through  his  brain  ;  he  saw  the  delicate  limbs  writhing, 


352  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

heard  the  agonized  screams.  ...  If  he  killed  the 
mulatto,  it  might  come  to  that ;  if  the  mulatto  lived, 
he  knew  that  she  would  kill  herself.  He  had  given 
her  the  knife  that  had  been  Monakatocka's,  and  she 
had  it  now,  hidden  in  her  bosom.  .  .  .  The  glory  of 
the  autumn  day  darkened  and  went  out,  the  bitter 
waters  of  affliction  surged  over  him,  an  immeasurable 
sea ;  it  seemed  to  him  that  until  then  he  had  never 
suffered.  A  cold  sweat  broke  out  upon  him,  and  with 
an  inarticulate  cry  of  rage  and  despair  he  struck  at 
his  wounded  foot  as  at  a  deadly  foe.  The  girl  cried 
out  at  the  sound  of  the  blow. 

"Oh,  don't,  don't!  What  are  you  doing?  You 
have  loosened  the  bandage,  and  it  is  bleeding  afresh." 

Despite  his  effort  to  prevent  her  she  readjusted  the 
kerchief  which  she  had  wound  about  the  torn  and 
crushed  foot,  very  carefully  and  tenderly.  "  It  must 
hurt  you  very  much,"  she  said  pityingly. 

He  took  the  little  ministering  hands  in  his  and 
kissed  them.  "  Oh,  madam,  madam  ! "  he  groaned. 
"  God  knows  I  would  shed  every  drop  of  my  blood  a 
thousand  times  to  save  you.  Death  to  me  is  nothing, 
nor  life  so  fair  that  I  should  care  to  keep  it.  The 
grave  is  a  less  dreadful  prison  than  those  on  earth, 
and  I  think  to  find  in  God  a  more  merciful  Judge. 
But  you  —  so  young  and  beautiful,  with  friends, 
love—" 

She  stopped  him  with  a  gesture  full  of  dignity  and 
sweetness.  "  That  life  is  gone  forever,  —  it  is  thou 
sands  of  miles  and  ages  on  ages  away.  It  is  a  world 
more  distant  than  the  stars,  and  we  are  nearer  to 
Heaven  than  to  it.  ...  It  is  strange  to  think  how 
we  have  drifted,  you  and  I,  to  this  rock.  A  year  ago 
we  had  never  seen  each  other's  faces,  had  never  heard 


THE   BOAT  THAT  WAS   NOT  353 

each  other's  names,  and  yet  you  were  coining  to  this 
rock  from  prison  and  over  seas,  and  I  was  coming  to 
meet  you.  .  .  .  And  it  is  our  death  place,  and  we  will 
die  together,  and  to-morrow  maybe  the  little  birds 
will  cover  us  with  leaves  as  they  did  the  children  in 
the  story.  They  were  brother  and  sister.  .  .  .  When 
our  time  comes  I  will  not  be  afraid,  for  I  will  be  with 
you  .  .  .  my  brother." 

Landless  covered  his  face  with  his  hands. 

The  shadows  grew  longer  and  the  cloud  castles  be 
gan  to  flush  rosily,  though  the  sun  still  rode  above  the 
tree  tops.  A  purple  light  filled  the  aisles  of  the  forest, 
through  which  a  herd  of  deer,  making  for  some  ac 
customed  lick,  passed  like  a  phantom  troop.  They 
vanished,  and  from  out  the  stillness  of  the  glades  came 
the  sudden,  startled  barking  of  a  fox.  A  shadow 
darted  across  a  sunlit  alley  from  gloom  to  gloom, 
paused  on  the  outskirts  of  the  wood  below  the  crags 
while  one  might  count  ten,  then  turned  and  flitted 
back  into  the  darkness  from  whence  it  came.  They 
beneath  the  crags  did  not  see  it. 

Suddenly  Landless  raised  his  head.  Upon  his  face 
was  the  look  of  one  who  has  come  through  much  doubt 
and  anguish  of  spirit  to  an  immutable  resolve.  He 
looked  to  the  priming  of  his  gun  and  laid  it  upon 
the  rock  beside  him,  together  with  his  powderhorn 
and  pouch  of  bullets.  Raising  himself  to  his  knees 
he  gazed  long  and  intently  into  the  forest  below. 
There  was  no  sign  of  danger.  On  the  checkered 
ground  beneath  two  mighty  oaks  squirrels  were  play 
ing  together  like  frolicsome  kittens,  and  through  the 
clear  air  came  the  tapping  of  a  woodpecker.  The 
forest  was  silent  as  to  the  shadow  that  had  flitted 
through  it.  It  can  keep  a  secret  very  well. 


354  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

Landless  sank  back  against  the  rock.  He  had  lost 
much  blood,  and  that  and  the  pain  of  his  mangled 
foot  turned  him  faint  and  sick  for  minutes  at  a  time. 
He  clenched  his  teeth  and  forced  back  the  deadly 
faintness,  then  turned  to  the  woman  who  stood  be 
side  him,  her  hands  clasped  before  her,  her  eyes  fol 
lowing  the  declining  sun,  her  lips  sometimes  set  in 
mournful  curves,  sometimes  murmuring  broken  and 
inaudible  words  of  prayer.  He  called  her  twice  be 
fore  she  answered,  turning  to  him  with  eyes  of  feverish 
splendor  which  saw  and  yet  saw  not.  "  What  is  it?  " 
she  asked  dreamily. 

"  Come  back  to  earth,  madam,"  he  said.  "  There 
is  that  that  I  wish  to  say  to  you.  Listen  to  me  kindly 
and  pitifully,  as  to  a  dying  man." 

"  I  am  listening,"  she  answered.     "  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  It  is  this,  madam  :  I  love  you.  For  God's  sake 
don't  turn  away !  Oh,  I  know  that  I  should  have 
been  strong  to  the  end,  that  I  should  not  vex  you 
thus !  It  is  the  coward's  part  I  play,  perhaps,  but  I 
must  speak!  I  cannot  die  without.  I  love  you, 
I  love  you,  I  love  you  !  " 

His  voice  rose  into  a  cry ;  in  it  rang  long  re 
pressed  passion,  hopeless  adoration,  fierce  joy  in  hav 
ing  broken  the  bonds  of  silence.  He  spoke  rapidly, 
thickly,  with  a  stammering  tongue,  now  throwing  out 
his  hands  in  passionate  appeal,  now  crushing  between 
his  fingers  the  dried  moss  and  twigs  with  which  the 
ground  was  strewn.  "  I  loved  you  the  day  I  first  saw 
you.  I  have  loved  you  ever  since.  I  love  you  now. 
My  God  !  how  I  love  you !  Die  for  you  ?  I  would 
die  for  you  ten  thousand  times !  I  would  live  for 
you !  Oh,  the  day  I  first  saw  you  !  I  was  in  hell  and 
I  looked  at  you  as  lost  Dives  might  have  looked  at 


THE  BOAT  THAT  WAS  NOT       355 

the  angel  on  the  other  side  of  the  gulf.  ...  I  never 
thought  to  tell  you  this.  I  kno"w  that  never,  never, 
never.  .  .  .  But  this  is  the  day  of  our  death.  In  a 
few  hours  we  shall  be  gone.  Do  not  leave  the  world 
in  anger  with  me.  Say  that  you  pity,  understand, 
forgive.  .  .  .  Speak  to  me,  madam  !  " 

The  sun  sank  lower  and  the  shadows  lengthened 
and  deepened,  and  still  Patricia  stood  silent  with  up 
lifted  and  averted  face,  and  fingers  tightly  locked  to 
gether.  With  a  moan  of  mortal  weakness  Landless 
dragged  himself  nearer  until  he  touched  with  his  fore 
head  the  low  pedestal  of  rock  upon  which  she  stood. 
"  I  understand,"  he  said  quietly.  "  After  all,  there  is 
nothing  to  be  said,  is  there  ?  Try  to  forget  my — 
madness.  Think  of  it,  if  you  will,  as  the  raving  of 
one  at  death's  door.  Let  it  be  as  it  was  between  us." 

Patricia  turned  —  her  beautiful  face  transfigured. 
Roses  bloomed  in  her  cheeks,  her  eyes  were  fathom 
less  wells  of  splendor,  an  exquisite  smile  played  about 
her  lips ;  with  her  nimbus  of  golden  hair  she  looked  a 
rapt  mediaeval  saint.  Her  slender  figure  swayed  to 
wards  Landless,  and  when  she  spoke  her  voice  was  like 
the  tone  of  a  violin,  soft,  rich,  caressing,  tremulous. 

"  There  was  no  boat,"  she  said. 

"  No  boat !  "  he  cried.     "  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  The  canoe  going  down  the  river.  I  told  you  that 
it  held  seven  Indians  and  the  mulatto.  I  lied  to  you. 
There  were  no  Indians,  no  mulatto,  no  canoe.  The 
shadows  of  the  clouds  have  been  upon  the  river,  and 
the  wild  fowl,  and  once  a  fish-hawk  plunged.  I  have 
seen  nothing  else." 

Landless  gazed  at  her  with  staring  eyeballs.  "  You 
have  thrown  away  your  life,"  he  said  at  last  in  a  voice 
that  did  not  seem  his  own. 


356  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Yes,  I  have  thrown  away  my  life." 

"But  why— why  — " 

The  rich  color  surged  over  her  face  and  neck.  She 
swayed  towards  him  with  the  grace  of  a  wind-bowed 
lily,  her  breath  fanning  his  forehead,  and  her  hand 
touching  his,  softly,  flutteringly,  like  a  young  bird. 

"  Can  you  not  guess  why  ?  "  she  said  with  an  en 
chanting  smile. 

All  the  anguish  of  a  little  while  back,  all  the  terror 
of  the  fate  that  hung  over  her,  all  the  white  calm  of 
despair  was  gone.  The  horror  that  moved  nearer  and 
nearer,  moment  by  moment,  through  the  painted  forest, 
was  forgotten.  She  looked  at  him  shyly  from  under 
her  long  lashes  and  with  another  wonderful  blush. 

Landless  gazed  at  her,  comprehension  slowly  dawn 
ing  in  his  eyes.  For  five  minutes  there  was  a  silence 
as  of  the  dead  beneath  the  crags.  Then  with  a  great 
cry  he  caught  her  hands  in  his  and  drew  her  towards 
him.  "  Is  it  ?  "  he  cried. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  with  laughter  trembling  on 
her  lips.  "  Death  hath  enfranchised  us,  you  and  I. 
Give  me  my  betrothal  kiss,  my  only  love." 

For  them  one  moment  of  Paradise,  of  bliss  ineffable 
and  supreme.  The  next,  the  crags  behind  them  rang 
to  the  sound  of  the  war  whoop. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE   LAST   FIGHT 

OUT  from  the  forest  rushed  the  remnant  of  that 
band  which  had  smoked  the  peace  pipe  with  the  Gov 
ernor  one  sunny  afternoon  on  the  banks  of  the  Pa- 
munkey.  Tall  and  large  of  limb,  painted  with  all 
fantastic  and  ghastly  devices,  and  decorated  with 
hideous  mementoes  of  nameless  deeds  ;  with  the  lust 
of  blood  written  large  in  every  fierce  lineament  and 
dark  and  rolling  eye ;  with  raised  hands  grasping 
knife  and  tomahawk,  and  lips  uttering  cries  that 
seemed  not  of  earth  —  a  more  appalling  vision  could 
not  have  issued  from  out  the  beautiful,  treacherous 
forest,  a  more  crashing  discord  have  come  into  the 
music  of  the  golden  evening. 

For  the  two  in  their  rocky  fortress  beneath  the 
crags  the  apparition  had  no  terrors.  All  the  pain, 
the  anguish,  the  hopelessness  of  the  world  was  pass 
ing  from  them — the  cry  that  swelled  through  the 
forest  was  its  knell.  They  smiled  to  hear  it,  and  with 
raised  faces  looked  beyond  the  many-tinted  evening 
skies  into  clear  spaces  where  Love  was  all.  The  in 
toxication  of  the  moment  when  hidden  and  despairing 
love  became  love  triumphant  and  acknowledged  abode 
with  them.  In  the  very  grasp  of  death  ineffable  bliss 
possessed  them.  Their  countenances  changed  ;  the 
lines  of  care  and  pain,  the  marks  of  tears,  were  all 
gone,  and  the  beauty  of  the  happy  soul  shone  out. 


358  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

For  that  brief  space  of  time  transcendent  youth  and 
loveliness  was  theirs.  About  them,  as  about  the  sun 
now  sinking  behind  the  low  hills,  there  breathed  a 
glory,  a  dying  splendor  as  bright  as  it  was  fleeting. 
They  felt,  too,  a  lightness  and  gaiety  of  spirit  —  they 
had  drunk  of  the  nectar  of  the  gods,  and  no  leaden 
weight  of  care,  no  heavy  sorrow,  could  ever  touch 
them,  ever  drag  them  down  again  to  the  sad  earth. 

"  You  are  beautiful,"  said  Landless,  gazing  at  her, 
even  in  the  act  of  raising  his  gun  to  his  shoulder; 
"  as  beautiful  as  you  were  the  day  I  first  saw  you. 
I  hear  the  drone  of  the  bees  in  the  vines  at  Verney 
Manor.  I  smell  the  roses.  I  look  up  and  see  the 
Rose  of  the  World.  My  eyes  were  dazzled  then,  are 
dazzled  now,  my  Rose  of  the  World." 

"  That  day  I  wore  brocade  and  lace,  and  there  were 
pearls  around  my  throat,"  she  said  with  a  laugh  of 
pure  delight.  "  There  was  rouge  upon  my  cheeks, 
too,  sir,  and  my  eyes  were  darkened.  To-day  I  go  a 
beggar  maid,  in  rags,  burnt  by  the  sun  — *-  " 

"  The  nut-brown  maid,"  he  said. 

"  Ay,"  she  answered,  "  the  nut-brown  maid  —  'For 
in  my  mind  of  all  mankind  '  —  you  may  e'en  finish  it 
yourself,  sir." 

The  Ricahecrians  had  paused  at  the  foot  of  the 
ascent  to  hold  a  council.  It  was  soon  over.  With 
another  burst  of  cries  they  rushed  up  the  steep  and 
upon  the  rocks,  behind  which  were  hidden  their  vic 
tims.  Landless,  kneeling  to  one  side  of  the  gap  be 
tween  the  boulders  by  which  he  and  Patricia  had 
entered,  fired,  and  the  foremost  of  the  savages  threw 
up  his  arms,  uttered  a  dreadful  cry,  and  fell  across  the 
path  of  his  fellows.  For  one  moment  the  rush  was 
checked,  the  next  on  they  came,  yelling  furiously 


THE  LAST  FIGHT  359 

and  brandishing  their  weapons.  Landless  fired  and 
missed,  fired  again  and  pierced  the  thigh  of  a  gigantic 
warrior,  bringing  him  crashing  to  the  ground.  The 
line  wavered,  paused,  then  turning,  swept  to  one  side 
and  so  passed  out  of  sight. 

"  They  have  found  this  pass  too  formidable,"  said 
Landless.  "  They  will  try  now  to  force  an  entrance 
from  the  side.  Do  you  watch  the  front,  my  queen, 
while  I  face  them,  coming  over  the  rocks." 

"  I  looked  only  at  the  mulatto,"  she  said.  "  The 
others  are  shadows  to  me." 

"  His  time  is  come,"  said  Landless.  "  Do  not  fear 
him,  sweetheart." 

"  I  fear  not,"  she  answered.  "  I  have  the  perfect 
love." 

Along  the  top  of  a  tall  boulder  to  their  right  ap 
peared  a  dark  red  line  —  the  arm  of  a  savage,  with 
clutching  fingers.  Above  it,  very  slowly  and  cau 
tiously,  there  rose  first  an  eagle's  feather,  then  a 
coarse  black  scalp  lock,  then  a  high  forehead  and 
fierce  eyes.  The  echo  of  Landless's  shot  reverberated 
through  the  cliffs,  and  when  the  smoke  cleared  only 
the  bare  gray  boulder  faced  him.  But  from  behind  it 
came  a  derisive  yell. 

"  Thou  wilt  think  me  a  poor  marksman,  my  dear," 
he  said,  smiling,  as  he  reloaded  his  musket.  "  I  have 
missed  again." 

"It  is  because  you  are  wounded,"  she  said.  "I 
would  I  had  thy  wounds." 

"  I  had  a  wounded  heart,  but  you  have  healed  it," 
he  said,  and  looked  at  her  with  shining  eyes. 

The  sun  sank  and  the  long  twilight  of  the  hills  set 
in.  The  evening  star  was  brightening  through  the 
pale  amethyst  of  the  sky  when  Landless  said  quietly  : 


360  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  The  last  charge,"  and  emptied  it  into  an  arm  which 
for  one  incautious  moment  had  waved  above  the 
rocks. 

"  It  is  the  end,  then,"  said  Patricia. 

"  Yes,  it  is  the  end.  We  have  beaten  them  back 
for  the  moment,  but  presently  they  will  find  that  all 
we  could  do  we  have  done,  and  then  —  " 

She  left  her  post  beside  the  gap  in  the  front,  and 
came  and  knelt  beside  him,  and  he  took  her  in  his 
arms. 

"  It  is  not  Death  before  us,  but  Life,"  she  said  in  a 
low  voice. 

"  It  is  God  and  Love,  naught  else,"  he  answered. 
"  But  the  river  between  will  be  bitter  for  you  to  cross, 
sweetheart." 

"  We  cross  it  together,"  she  said,  "  and  so  —  "  She 
raised  her  head  that  he  might  see  her  radiant  smile, 
and  their  lips  met. 

"  Hark !  "  she  said  directly  with  her  hand  on  his. 
"  What  is  that  sound  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  The  wind  has  risen,  and  the 
forest  rustles  and  sighs.  There  is  nothing  more." 

"  It  is  far  off,"  she  answered,  "  but  it  is  like  the  dip 
of  oars.  Ah !  " 

Over  against  them,  framed  in  the  narrow  opening 
between  the  rocks,  his  lithe,  half-nude  figure  dark 
against  the  crimson  west,  and  with  a  smile  upon  his 
evil  lips  and  in  his  evil  eyes,  stood  Luiz  Sebastian. 
In  the  dead  silence  that  succeeded  he  looked  with 
a  smiling  countenance  from  the  musket,  now  useless 
and  thrown  aside,  to  his  enemy,  wounded  and  unarmed 
save  for  a  knife,  and  to  the  woman  in  that  enemy's 
arms ;  then,  without  turning,  he  said  a  few  words  in 
an  Indian  tongue.  From  the  dusky  mass  behind  him 


THE   LAST  FIGHT  361 

came  one  short,  wild  cry  of  savage  triumph,  followed 
by  another  dead  silence. 

Still  holding  Patricia  in  one  arm,  Landless  rose 
from  his  knee,  and  stood  confronting  him. 

"  We  are  met  again,  Senor  Landless,"  said  Luiz 
Sebastian  smoothly.  Receiving  110  answer,  he  spoke 
again  with  a  tigerish  expansion  of  his  thick  lips. 
"  You  have  had  an  accident,  I  see.  Mother  of  God  ! 
that  foot  must  pain  you  !  But  you  will  forget  it  pres 
ently  in  the  pleasure  of  the  pine  splinters." 

"  I  will  forget  it  in  the  pleasure  of  this,"  said  Land 
less,  releasing  Patricia,  and  springing  upon  the  mu 
latto  with  a  suddenness  and  violence  that  sent  them 
both  staggering  through  the  opening  between  the 
rocks,  out  upon  the  narrow  plateau  and  into  the  ring 
of  Ricahecrians.  Luiz  Sebastian  was  strong,  with  the 
easy  masked  strength  of  the  panther,  but  Landless 
had  the  strength  of  despair.  The  mulatto,  thrown 
heavily  to  the  ground,  and  pinned  there  by  his  adver 
sary's  knee,  saw  the  gleam  of  the  lifted  knife,  and 
would  have  seen  nothing  more  in  this  life,  but  that  a 
woman's  cry  rang  out  and  saved  him.  Landless 
heard,  turned,  saw  Patricia  dragged  from  the  shelter  of 
the  rocks,  leaped  to  his  feet,  leaving  his  work  undone, 
and  rushed  upon  the  knot  of  savages  with  whom  she 
was  struggling.  A  moment  saw  him  beside  her  with 
the  Indian  who  had  held  her  dead  at  his  feet.  Behind 
them  was  the  great  boulder  which  had  formed  the 
front  wall  of  their  chamber  of  defense.  He  put  his 
arm  around  her,  and  drew  her  back  with  him  until 
they  stood  against  this  rock,  then  faced  the  advancing 
savages  with  uplifted  knife. 

So  determined  was  his  attitude,  so  terribly  had 
they  proved  his  power,  so  certain  it  was  that  before 


362  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

he  should  be  taken  one  at  least  of  their  number  would 
taste  that  knife,  that  the  Ricahecrians  paused,  swaying 
to  and  fro,  yelling,  working  themselves  into  a  fury 
that  should  send  them  on  like  maddened  brutes,  blind 
and  deaf  to  all  things  but  their  lust  for  blood. 

"•  I  hear  a  sound  of  footsteps  over  the  leaves,"  said 
Patricia. 

"  The  wind  rustles  in  them,  or  the  deer  pass,"  an 
swered  Landless.  "  Oh,  my  life  !  are  you  content  ?  " 

She  answered  with  a  low,  clear  laugh.  "  I  hold 
happiness  fast,"  she  said.  "  It  cannot  escape  us 
now." 

"  They  are  coming,"  he  said.  "  The  last  kiss,  heart 
of  my  heart." 

Their  lips  met,  and  their  eyes  with  a  smile  in  them 
met,  and  then  he  put  her  gently  behind  him,  and 
turned  to  again  face  Luiz  Sebastian. 

With  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  yellow  face,  he  had 
raised  his  hand  to  strike  at  the  yellow  breast,  spotted 
and  barred  with  the  black  of  the  war  paint,  when  an 
Indian,  gliding  between,  struck  up  his  arm,  and  sent 
the  knife  tinkling  down  upon  the  rocks.  With  a  yell 
of  triumph  the  savage  snatched  up  the  weapon,  and 
brandished  it,  showing  it  to  his  fellows,  who,  seeing 
their  work  accomplished,  and  the  two  whom  they  had 
tracked  so  far  actually  in  their  hands,  made  the  forest 
ring  with  their  exultant  shouts.  A  few  closed  in 
around  the  devoted  pair,  directing  at  them  fiendish 
cries  and  no  less  fiendish  laughter,  and  menacing  them 
with  knife  and  tomahawk,  but  the  majority  streamed 
down  the  steep  and  into  the  forest  at  its  base. 

"  They  go  to  gather  wood,"  said  the  still  smiling 
Luiz  Sebastian.  "  By  and  by  we  are  to  have  a  bon 
fire.  Senor  Landless  has  often  carried  wood,  I  think, 


THE  LAST  FIGHT  363 

in  those  old  times  when  he  was  a  slave,  and  when  the 
pretty  mistress  behind  him  there  treated  him  as  such 
—  unless  she  gave  him  favors  in  secret.  But,  Mother 
of  God  !  now  that  she  has  made  him  master,  we  must 
carry  the  wood  for  him  !  " 

Landless,  standing  with  folded  arms,  looked  at  him 
with  quiet  scorn.  "  It  is  the  nature  of  the  viper  to 
use  his  venom,"  he  said  calmly.  "  Such  a  thing  can 
not  anger  me." 

"  At  the  same  time  it  is  as  well  to  crush  the  viper," 
said  a  voice  at  his  elbow. 

The  speaker,  who  was  Sir  Charles  Carew,  had  come 
from  behind  the  boulders  which  ran  in  a  straggling 
line  down  the  hillside  toward  the  river.  He  had  his 
drawn  sword  in  his  hand,  and  as  he  spoke,  he  ran  the 
mulatto  through  the  body.  The  wretch,  his  oath  of 
rage  and  astonishment  still  upon  his  lips,  fell  to  the 
ground  without  a  groan,  writhed  there  a  moment  or 
two,  and  then  lay  still  forever. 

From  the  forest  below  rose  a  loud  confusion  of 
shouts  and  cries,  followed  by  a  volley  of  musketry. 
At  the  sound  the  half  dozen  savages  upon  the  plateau 
turned  and  plunged  down  the  hillside,  to  be  met  before 
they  reached  the  bottom  by  the  upward  rush  of  a  por 
tion  of  the  rescuing  party.  For  a  short  while  the  twi 
light  glades,  low  hills  and  frowning  crags  rang  to  the 
sound  of  a  miniature  battle,  to  the  quick  crack  of 
muskets,  the  clear  shouts  of  the  whites,  and  the  whoops 
of  the  savages.  But  by  degrees  these  latter  became 
fainter,  further  between,  died  away  —  a  short  ten  min 
utes,  and  there  were  no  warriors  left  to  return  to  the 
village  in  the  Blue  Mountains.  Fierce  shedders  of 
blood,  they  were  paid  in  their  own  coin. 

On  the  hill-top  Sir  Charles  shot  his  rapier  into  its 


364  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

scabbard,  and  strode  over  to  Patricia,  standing  white 
and  still  against  the  rock.  "  I  was  in  time,"  he  said. 
"Thank  God!" 

She  made  no  motion  to  meet  his  extended  hands, 
but  stood  looking  past  him  at  Landless.  Her  face 
was  like  marble,  her  eyes  one  dumb  question.  Land 
less  met  their  gaze,  and  in  his  own  she  read  despair, 
renunciation,  strong  resolve  —  and  a  long  farewell. 

"  You  are  come  in  time,  Sir  Charles  Carew,"  he 
said.  "  A  little  more,  and  we  should  have  been  be 
yond  your  reach.  You  will  find  the  lady  safe  and 
well,  though  shaken,  as  you  see,  by  this  last  alarm. 
She  will  speak  for  me,  I  trust,  will  tell  you  that  I 
have  used  her  with  all  respect,  that  I  have  done  for 
her  all  that  I  could  do.  .  .  .  Madam,  all  danger  is 
past.  "Will  you  not  collect  yourself  and  speak  to  your 
kinsman  and  savior  ?  " 

He  spoke  with  a  certain  calm  stateliness  of  voice 
and  manner,  as  of  one  who  has  passed  beyond  all 
emotion,  whether  of  hope  or  fear,  and  in  his  eyes 
which  he  kept  fixed  upon  her  there  was  a  command. 

"  Speak  to  me,  my  cousin  ;  tell  me  that  I  am  wel 
come,"  said  Sir  Charles,  flinging  himself  upon  his  knee 
before  her. 

With  a  strong  shudder  she  looked  away  from  the 
still,  white,  and  sternly  composed  face  opposite  to  the 
darkening  river  and  the  evening  star  shining  calmly 
down  upon  a  waste  world. 

At  length  she  spoke.  "  I  was  all  but  beyond  this 
world,  cousin,  so  pardon  me  if  I  seem  to  come  back 
to  it  somewhat  tardily.  You  have  my  thanks,  of 
course  —  my  dear  thanks  —  for  saving  my  life  —  my 
life  which  is  so  precious  to  me." 

She  gave  him  her  hand  with  a  strange  smile,  and 


THE   LAST  FIGHT  365 

he  pressed  his  lips  upon  it.  "  Your  father  is  below, 
deai'est  cousin.  Shall  we  descend  to  meet  him  ?  As 
to  this — gentleman,"  turning-  with  a  smile  that  was 
like  a  frown  to  Landless,  "  I  regret  that  circumstances 
combine  to  prevent  our  rewarding  him  as  the  guardian 
(a  trusty  one,  I  am  sure)  of  so  precious  a  jewel  should 
be  rewarded.  But  Colonel  Verney  will  do  —  I  will 
do  —  all  that  is  possible.  In  the  mean  time  I  observe 
with  regret  that  he  is  wounded.  If  he  will  allow  me, 
I  will  send  him  my  valet,  who  is  below,  and  is  the 
best  barber  surgeon  in  the  three  kingdoms.  Come, 
dearest  madam." 

He  bowed  low  and  ceremoniously  to  Landless,  who 
returned  the  salute  with  gra\e  courtesy,  and  gave  his 
hand  to  Patricia.  For  one  moment  she  looked  at 
Landless  with  wide,  dark  eyes,  then,  her  spirit  obedi 
ent  to  his  spirit,  she  turned  and  went  from  him  with 
out  one  word  or  backward  look. 

The  color  had  quite  faded  from  the  west,  and  the 
stars  were  thickening  when  Landless  became  conscious 
that  the  overseer  was  standing  beside  him.  "  You  are 
the  hardest  one  to  hold  that  ever  I  saw,"  said  that 
worthy  grimly,  and  yet  with  a  certain  appreciation  of 
the  qualities  that  made  the  man  at  his  feet  hard  to 
hold  showing  in  his  tone,  "  but  I  fancy  we  've  got  you 
at  last.  You  've  gone  and  put  yourself  in  bilboes." 

Landless  smiled.  "  This  time  you  may  keep  me. 
I  shall  not  intei-fere.  But  tell  me  how  you  come  here. 
You  were  sent  back  to  the  Plantations." 

"  Ay,"  said  the  other,  "  and  there  was  the  devil  to 
pay,  I  can  tell  you,  when  I  had  to  report  you  missing  to 
Sir  William.  But  Major  Carrington  stood  my  friend, 
and  I  got  off  with  a  tongue-drubbing.  Well,  after 
about  three  weeks  or  so,  during  which  time  the  dogs 


366  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

and  the  searchers  brought  back  most  all  of  the  run 
away  niggers,  and  Mistress  Lettice  had  hysterics  every 
day,  back  comes  the  Colonel  and  Sir  Charles  with  ten 
of  the  twenty  men  who  had  rowed  them  up  the  Pa- 
munkey.  The  rest  had  fallen  in  a  brush  with  the  Mo- 
nacans.  They  had  n't  come  up  with  the  Ricahecrians, 
had  n't  seen  hair  nor  hide  of  them,  had  but  one  report 
from  the  Indian  villages  along  the  river,  and  that  was 
that  no  Ricahecrians  had  passed  that  way.  So  after 
a  while  they  were  forced  to  believe  that  they  were 
upon  a  false  scent,  and  back  they  comes  post  haste  tt 
the  Plantations  to  get  more  men,  and  go  up  the  Rap- 
pahannock.  Well,  they  went  up  the  Rappahannock, 
and  found  nothing  to  their  purpose,  so  back  they  came 
again  to  try  the  James  and  the  country  above  the 
Falls.  This  time  they  found  the  Settlements,  which 
had  been  before  like  an  overturned  hive,  pretty  quiet, 
the  ringleaders  of  your  precious  plot  having  all  been 
strung  up,  and  the  rest  made  as  mild  .as  sheep  with 
branding  and  whipping  and  doubling  of  times.  So, 
the  tobacco  being  in  and  the  plantation  quiet,  things 
were  left  to  Haines,  and  I  came  along  with  the  Colo 
nel.  Major  Carrington,  too,  who  they  say  is  in  the 
Governor's  black  books,  though  Lord  knows  he  was 
active  enough  in  stamping  out  this  insurrection,  asked 
to  be  allowed  to  join  in  the  search  for  his  old  friend's 
daughter,  and  so  he 's  down  in  the  woods  yonder.  And 
Mr.  Gary  is  there,  and  Mr.  Peyton  (Mistress  Betty 
Carrington  made  him  come)  and  Mr.  Jaclyn  Carter. 
Fegs !  half  the  young  gentry  in  the  colony  pressed  their 
services  on  the  Colonel.  It  got  to  be  the  fashion  to 
volunteer  to  run  their  heads  into  the  wolf's  mouth  for 
Mistress  Patricia.  But  Sir  Charles  choked  most  of 
them  off.  '  Gentlemen,'  he  says,  says  he,  '  despite 


THE   LAST   FIGHT  367 

the  saying  that  there  cannot  be  too  much  of  a  good 
thing,  I  beg  to  remind  you  that  the  disastrous  fortunes 
of  those  who  first  struggled  with  the  forest  and  the 
Indians  in  this  western  paradise  are  attributed  to  the 
fact  that  they  were  two  thirds  gentlemen.  Wherefore 
let  us  shun  the  rock  upon  which  they  split '  - 

"  How  many  of  my  fellow  conspirators  were  put  to 
death?"  interrupted  Landless. 

"  All  the  principal  ones  —  them  that  Trail  de 
nounced  as  leaders.  The  rest  we  pardoned  after  giv 
ing  them  a  lesson  they  won't  soon  forget.  We  let 
bygones  be  bygones  with  the  redemptioners  and  slaves 
—  all  but  those  devils  who  got  away  that  night  at 
Verney  Manor,  and  with  Trail  at  their  head,  made  for 
Captain  Laramore's  ship  which  was  going  to  turn 
pirate.  Well,  they  got  to  the  boats,  and  one  lot  got 
off  safe  to  the  ship  which  hoisted  the  black  flag, 
and  sailed  away  to  the  Indies,  and  is  sailing  there, 
murdering  and  ruining,  to  this  day,  I  reckon.  But 
the  other  boat  was  over  full,  and  the  steersman  was 
drunken,  and  she  capsized  before  she  got  to  the  mid 
dle  of  the  channel.  Some  were  drowned,  and  those 
that  got  ashore  we  hung  -next  morning.  But  Trail 
was  in  the  first  boat." 

"  When  do  you  —  do  we  —  start  down  the  river  ?  " 

"  At  midnight.  And  it 's  the  Colonel's  orders  that 
until  then  you  stay  here  among  the  rocks  and  not 
show  yourself  to  the  men  below.  He  '11  see  you 
before  we  start.  In  the  mean  time  I  '11  keep  you 
company."  And  the  overseer  took  out  his  pipe  and 
tobacco  pouch,  filled  the  former,  lighted  it,  and  lean 
ing  back  against  the  rock  fell  to  smoking  in  contented 
silence. 

Landless  too  sat  in  silence,  with  his  head  thrown 


368  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

back  against  the  rock  and  his  face  uplifted  to  the 
growing  splendor  of  the  skies.  The  night  wind,  blow 
ing  mournfully  around  the  bare  hill  and  the  broken 
crag,  struck  upon  his  brow  with  a  hint  of  winter  in 
its  touch.  With  it  came  the  tide  of  forest  sounds  - 
the  sough  of  the  leaves,  the  dull  creaking  of  branch 
against  branch,  the  wash  of  the  water  in  the  reeds, 
the  whirr  of  wings,  the  cries  of  night  birds  —  all  the 
low  and  stealthy  notes  of  the  earth  chant  which  had 
become  to  him  as  old  and  tenderly  familiar  as  the 
lullabies  of  his  childhood.  Below  him,  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  a  square  of  dark  and  stately  pines  was  irradi 
ated  by  a  great  fire  which  burnt  redly,  casting  flick 
ering  shadows  far  across  the  smooth  brown  earth,  and 
around  which  sat  or  moved  many  figures.  Laughter 
and  jest,  oaths  and  scraps  of  song  floated  up  to  the 
lonely  watcher  upon  the  hilltop*.  He  heeded  them 
not  —  he  was  above  that  world  —  and  no  sound  came 
from  that  other  and  smaller  fire  blazing  at  some  dis 
tance  from  the  first  —  and  the  tree  trunks  between 
were  so  many  and  so  thick  that  he  could  see  naught 
but  the  light. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 


THE  overseer  knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe 
and  stuck  it  in  his  belt.  "  The  master,"  he  said 
curtly,  getting  to  his  feet  as  three  cloaked  figures, 
followed  by  a  negro  bearing  a  torch,  came  up  the  hill 
side  and  into  the  waste  of  stones  beneath  the  crags. 
Advancing  to  meet  them,  he  took  the  torch  from  Reg- 
ulus's  hand  and  fired  a  mass  of  dead  and  leafless  vine 
depending  from  the  cliff.  In  the  bright  light  which 
sprang  up,  filling  the  rocky  chamber  and  burnishing 
the  face  of  the  crags  into  the  semblance  of  a  cataract 
of  fire,  the  parties  to  the  interview  gazed  at  one  an 
other  in  silence. 

Colonel  Verney  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  I  am 
sorry  to  see  that  you  are  wounded,"  he  said  gravely. 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,  —  it  is  nothing." 

The  Colonel  walked  the  length  of  the  plateau  twice, 
then  came  back  to  his  prisoner's  side.  "  My  daughter 
has  told  me  all,"  he  said  somewhat  huskily.  "  That 
you  and  the  Susquehannock  sought  for  her  and  found 
her  ;  that  you  fought  for  her  bravely  more  than  once  ; 
that  after  the  Indian  was  slain  you  guided  and  pro 
tected  her  through  the  forest ;  that  you  have  in  all 
things  borne  yourself  towards  her  faithfully  and  rev 
erently,  not  injuring  her  by  word,  thought  or  deed. 
My  daughter  is  very  dear  to  me  —  dearer  than  life. 
I  am  not  ungrateful.  I  thank  you  very  heartily." 


370  PRISONERS   OF  HOPE 

"  Mistress  Patricia  Verney  is  dear  to  me  also,"  said 
Sir  Charles,  coming  forward  to  stand  beside  his  kins 
man.  "  I  too  thank  the  man  who  restores  her  to  her 
friends  —  to  her  lover." 

"  And  I  would  to  God,"  said  the  third  figure,  ad 
vancing,  "  that  we  could  save  the  brave  man  to 
whom  so  much  is  owed.  If  I  were  Governor  of  Vir 
ginia  — 

"  You  could  do  naught,  Carrington,"  broke  in  the 
Colonel  impatiently.  "  The  man  is  convict  —  outside 
the  pale !  A  convict,  and  the  head  of  an  Oliverian 
plot !  Scarce  the  King  himself  could  pardon  him ! 
And  if  he  did,  how  long  d'  ye  think  the  walls  of  the 
gaol  at  Jamestown  would  keep  him  from  the  rabble 
—  and  the  nearest  tree  ?  No,  no,  William  Berkeley 
does  but  his  duty.  And  yet  —  and  yet  — 

He  began  to  pace  the  rocks  again,  frowning  heavily, 
and  pulling  at  the  curls  of  his  periwig.  "  You  are  a 
brave  man,"  he  said  at  last,  stopping  before  Landless 
and  speaking  with  energy,  "  and  from  my  soul  I  wish 
I  could  save  you.  I  would  gladly  overlook  all  that  is 
over  and  done  with,  would  gladly  free  you,  aid  you, 
help  you,  so  far  as  might  be,  to  retrieve  your  past  — 
but  I  cannot.  My  hands  are  tied ;  it  is  impossible  — 
you  must  see  for  yourself  that  it  is  impossible." 

"  None  can  see  that  so  clearly  as  myself,  Colonel 
Verney,"  Landless  said  steadily.  "  I  thank  you  for 
the  will  none  the  less." 

"  To  take  you  back  with  me,"  the  other  continued, 
beginning  to  stride  up  and  down  again,  "  is  to  take 
you  back,  bound,  to  certain  death.  And  there  is  but 
one  alternative  —  to  leave  you  here  in  the  wilderness. 
Your  presence  here  is  known  only  to  those  upon  whose 
discretion  I  can  depend.  They  would  hold  their 


VALE  371 

tongues,  and  none  need  ever  be  the  wiser.  But  the 
Settlements  will  be  barred  to  you  forever,  and  hun 
dreds  of  leagues  stretch  between  this  spot  and  the 
Dutch  or  the  New  Englaiiders.  Moreover,  your  de 
scription  hath  been  sent  to  the  authorities  of  each 
colony.  And  you  are  wounded,  and  winter  is  at  hand. 
It  may  be  but  a  choice  pf  deaths !  I  would  to  God 
there  were  some  other  way  —  but  there  is  none  !  You 
must  choose." 

In  the  dead  silence  that  ensued  the  Colonel  moved 
back  to  the  side  of  the  Surveyor-General,  and  the  two 
stood,  thoughtfully  regardant  of  the  prisoner.  The 
light  from  the  partially  consumed  vines  beginning 
to  wane,  the  overseer  motioned  to  liegulus  to  collect 
and  apply  his  torch  to  a  quantity  of  the  fagots  with 
which  the  ground  was  strewn.  The  negro  obeyed,  and 
stood  behind  the  light  flame  and  curling  smoke  which 
he  had  evoked,  like  the  genie  of  an  Arabian  tale. 
Sir  Charles,  left  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  rocky 
chamber,  hesitated  a  moment,  then  walked  with  his 
usual  languid  grace  over  to  where  Landless  leaned 
against  a  boulder,  his  eyes,  shaded  by  his  hand,  fixed 
upon  the  ground. 

"  Whichever  you  choose  —  Scylla  or  Charybdis  — 
said  Sir  Charles  in  his  most  dulcet  tones,  "  this  is 
probably  the  last  time  you  and  I  will  ever  speak  to 
gether.  There  have  been  passages  between  us  in  the 
past,  which,  in  the  light  of  after  event,  I  cannot  but 
regret.  You  have  just  rendered  me  an  inestimable 
service.  I  have  learnt,  too,  that  you  saved  my  life 
the  night  of  the  storming  of  the  Manor  House.  I 
beg  to  apologize  to  you,  sir,  for  any  offense  I  may 
have  given  you  by  word  or  deed."  And  he  held  out 
his  hand  with  his  most  courtly  smile. 


372  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

"  It  becomes  a  dying  man  to  be  in  charity  with  the 
world  he  leaves,"  said  Landless,  somewhat  coldly, 
but  with  a  smile  too,  "  and  so  I  do  that  which  I  never 
thought  to  do,"  and  he  touched  the  other's  fingers 
with  his  own. 

Sir  Charles  looked  at  him  curiously.  "  You  make 
a  good  enemy,"  he  said  lightly.  "  Had  it  not  been 
predestined  that  we  were  to  hate  each  other,  I  could 
find  it  in  my  heart  to  desire  you  for  a  friend.  You 
remain  in  the  forest,  I  dare  swear  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Landless,  with  his  eyes  upon  the 
light  in  the  glade  below.  "  I  choose  the  easier  fate." 

"  The  easier  for  all  concerned,"  said  the  other  with 
a  peculiar  intonation. 

Landless  glanced  at  him  keenly,  but  the  courtier 

face  and  the  inscrutable  smile  told  nothing.     "  The 

• 
easier  for   myself,  whom   alone   it  concerneth,"  said 

Landless  sternly. 

Dragging  himself  up  by  the  rock  behind  him,  he 
turned  to  the  two  elder  men.  "  I  have  decided,  Colo 
nel  Verney,"  he  said  slowly,  "  I  will  stay  here,  an  it 
please  you." 

"  You  shall  have  all  that  we  can  leave  you,"  said 
the  Colonel  eagerly  and  with  some  emotion.  "  Am 
munition  in  plenty,  food,  blankets,  an  axe  —  it 's 
little  enough  I  can  do,  God  knows,  but  I  do  that  little 
most  willingly." 

"  Again  I  thank  you,"  said  Landless  wearily. 

Sir  Charles  caught  the  inflection.  "  You  stand  in 
need  of  rest,"  he  said  courteously,  "  and,  this  mat 
ter  settled,  our  farther  intrusion  upon  you  is  as  un 
necessary  as  it  must  be  unwelcome.  Had  we  not  best 
descend,  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  Ay,"  said  the  Colonel.     "  We  have  done  all  we 


VALE  373 

could."  Then,  to  Landless,  "  With  the  moonrise  we 
drop  down  the  river  —  from  out  your  sight  forever. 
I  have  told  you  frankly  there  is  no  hope  for  you 
amongst  your  kind  in  the  world  to  which  we  return. 
I  believe  there  to  be  none.  But  have  you  thought  of 
what  we  must  needs  leave  you  to  ?  Humanly  speak 
ing,  it  is  death,  and  death  alone,  in  the  winter  forest." 

"  I  have  thought,"  said  Landless. 

"  From  my  soul  I  wish  that  some  miracle  may  occur 
to  save  you  yet !  " 

"  An  ill  wish  !  "  said  the  other,  smiling,  "  with  but 
little  chance,  however,  of  its  fulfillment." 

"  I  fear  not,"  said  the  Colonel  with  something  like 
a  groan,  "  but  I  wish  it,  nevertheless.  Here  is  my 
hand,  and  with  it  my  heartfelt  thanks  for  your  service 
to  my  daughter.  And  I  wish  you  to  believe  that  I 
deeply  deplore  your  fate,  and  that  I  would  have  saved 
you  if  I  could." 

"  I  believe  it,"  Landless  said  simply. 

The  Colonel  took  and  wrung  his  hand,  then  turned 
sharply  away,  and  beckoning  the  overseer  to  follow, 
strode  out  of  the  circle  of  rocks. 

Sir  Charles  raised  his  feathered  hat.  "  We  have 
been  foes,"  he  said,  "but  the  strife  is  over  —  and 
when  all  is  said,  we  are  both  Englishmen.  I  trust  we 
bear  each  other  no  ill  will." 

"  I  bear  none,"  said  Landless. 

Sir  Charles,  his  eyes  still  fixed  upon  the  pale  quiet 
of  the  other's  face,  passed  out  of  the  opening  between 
the  rocks,  and  his  place  was  taken  by  the  Surveyor- 
General. 

"  I  would  have  saved  you  if  I  could,"  he  said  in  a 
low  and  troubled  voice.  "  I  bow  to  a  brave  man  and 
a  gallant  gentleman,"  and  he  too  was  gone. 


374  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

In  the  glade  below,  the  movement,  the  laughter  and 
the  song  sank  gradually  into  silence  as  the  gentlemen 
adventurers,  the  rangers,  Indian  guides,  and  servants 
composing  the  rescuing  party  threw  themselves  down, 
one  by  one,  beside  the  blazing  fires  for  a  short  rest 
before  moonrise  and  the  long  pull  down  the  river. 

Among  the  crags,  high  above  the  twinkling  watch- 
fires  and  the  wash  of  the  dark  river,  there  was  the 
stillness  of  the  stars,  of  the  white  frost  and  the  bare 
cliffs.  In  the  northern  heavens  played  a  soft  light, 
and  now  and  then  a  star  shot.  The  man  who  marked 
its  trail  across  the  studded  skies  thought  of  himself  as 
of  one  as  far  withdrawn  as  it  from  the  world  of  lower 
lights  in  the  forest  at  his  feet.  Already  he  felt  a 
prescience  of  the  loneliness  of  tl*e  morrow,  and  the 
morrow,  and  the  morrow,  of  the  slow  drift  of  the  days 
in  the  waning  forest,  the  hopeless  nights,  the  terror  of 
that  great  solitude  —  and  felt,  too,  a  feverish  desire  to 
hasten  that  approach,  to  embrace  that  which  was  to  be 
henceforth  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh. 
He  wished  for  the  dash  of  oars  in  the  dark  stream 
below  and  for  the  rise  of  the  moon  which  was  to  shine 
coldly  down  upon  him,  companionless,  immerged  in 
that  vast  fortress  from  which  he  might  never  hope  to 
emerge. 

The  sound  of  cautious  footsteps  among  the  rocks 
brought  his  sick  and  wandering  fancy  back  to  the 
present.  Raising  himself  upon  his  elbow  and  peering 
intently  into  the  darkness,  he  made  out  two  figures, 
one  tall  and  large,  the  other  much  slighter,  advancing 
towards  him.  Presently  the  larger  figure  stopped 
short,  and,  seating  itself  upon  a  flat  rock  at  the  brink 
of  the  hill,  turned  its  face  towards  the  fires  in  the 
woods  below.  The  other  came  on  lightly  and  hur- 


VALE  375 

riedly  —  another  moment,  and  rising  to  his  knees, 
he  clasped  her  in  his  arms  and  laid  his  head  upon  her 
bosom. 

"  I  never  thought  to  see  you  again,"  he  said  at  last. 

"  I  made  Regulus  bring  me,"  she  answered.  "  The 
others  do  not  know  —  they  think  me  asleep." 

She  spoke  in  a  low,  even,  monotonous  voice,  and 
the  hand  which  she  laid  upon  his  forehead  was  like 
marble.  "  My  heart  is  dead,  I  think,"  she  said.  "  I 
wish  my  body  were  so  too." 

He  drew  her  closer  to  him  and  covered  her  face  and 
hands  with  kisses.  "  My  love,  my  lady,"  he  said. 
"  My  white  rose,  my  woodland  dove  !  " 

She  clung  to  him,  trembling.  "  Down  there  I 
was  going  mad,"  she  whispered.  "  But  now  —  now 
-  I  feel  as  though  I  could  weep."  He  felt  her  tears 
upon  his  face,  but  in  a  moment  she  was  calm  again. 
"  Do  you  remember  the  bird  we  found  the  other  day, 
all  numbed  with  cold  ?  "  she  said.  "  It  had  been  gay 
and  free  and  light  of  heart,  but  it  had  not  strength  to 
flutter  when  I  took  it  in  my  hands  and  tried  to  warm 
it  —  and  could  not.  I  am  like  that  bird.  The  world 
is  very  gray  and  cold,  and  my  heart  —  it  will  never 
be  warm  again." 

"  God  comfort  you,"  he  said  brokenly. 

"  They  have  told  me  that  at  moonrise  we  leave  this 
place  —  and  you.  They  say  that  it  is  all  they  can  do 
for  you  —  to  leave  you  here.  All !  —  Oh,  my  God  !  " 

"  They  have  done  what  they  could,"  he  said  gravely. 
"  I  recognize  that.  And  I  wish  you  to  do  so  too, 
sweetheart." 

She  looked  at  him  wildly.  "  I  have  been  silent," 
she  said,  pressing  her  clasped  hands  against  her  bosom. 
"  I  have  not  told  them.  I  have  obeyed  what  I  read 


376  PRISONERS  OF  HOPE 

in  your  eyes.  But  was  it  well  ?  Oh,  my  dear,  let  me 
speak ! " 

He  took  her  hands  from  her  breast  and  laid  them 
against  his  own.  "No,"  he  said  with  a  smile,  "I 
love  you  too  well  for  that." 

From  the  woods  across  the  river  came  the  crying  of 
wolves,  then  a  silence  as  of  the  grave  ;  then  a  whisper 
arose  in  the  long  dry  grass  and  the  leafless  vines, 
and  a  cold  breeze  lifted  the" hair  from  their  foreheads. 
The  whisper  grew  into  a  murmur,  prolonged  and 
deep,  a  sound  as  of  a  distant  cataract,  or  of  the  dash 
of  surf  upon  a  far  away  shore  —  the  voice  of  the  wind 
in  the  world  of  trees.  A  star  shot,  leaving  a  stream 
of  white  fire  to  fade  out  of  the  dark  blue  sky.  From 
the  forest  came  again  the  cry  of  the  wolves.  In  the 
camp  below  there  seemed  some  stir,  and  the  figure 
seated  on  the  rock  turned  its  head  towards  them  and 
lifted  a  warning  hand. 

"  You  must  go,"  said  Landless.  "  It  was  madness 
for  you  to  venture  here.  See,  the  light  is  growing 
in  the  east." 

With  a  low,  desolate  moaning  sound  she  wrung  the 
hands  he  released  and  raised  her  face  to  his.  He 
kissed  her  upon  the  brow,  the  eyes  and  the  mouth. 
"  Good-by,  my  life,  my  love,  my  heart,"  he  said. 
"  We  were  happy  for  an  hour.  Good-by  !  " 

"  I  will  be  brave,"  she  answered.  "  I  will  live  my 
life  out.  I  will  pray  to  God.  And,  Godfrey,  I  will 
be  ever  true  to  you.  I  shall  never  see  you  again, 
my  dear,  never  hear  of  you  more,  never  know  till  my 
latest  day  whether  you  are  of  this  world  still,  or 
whether  you  have  waited  for  me  a  long  time,  up  there 
beyond  those  lights.  If  it  —  if  death  —  should  come 
soon,  wait  for  me  —  beyond  —  in  perfect  trust,  my 


VALE  377 

dear,  for  I  will  come  to  you  —  I  will  come  to  you 
as  I  am,  Godfrey." 

He  bowed  liis  face  upon  her  hands. 

The  breeze  freshened,  and  the  sound  of  the  surf 
became  the  sound  of  breakers.  In  the  east  the  pale 
light  strengthened.  The  figure  below  them  stood  up 
and  beckoned. 

"  The  moon  is  coming,"  said  Patricia.  "  Once  be 
fore  I  watched  for  it  — -in  terror,  with  pride  and 
anger  in  my  heart.  Then,  when  I  thought  of  you,  I 
hated  you.  It  is  strange  to  think  of  that  now.  Kiss 
me  good-by." 

"  I  too  will  be  strong,"  he  said.  "  I  will  await  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord.  Until  His  good  time,  my 
bride !  " 

Kising  to  his  feet  he  held  her  in  his  arms,  then 
kissed  her  upon  the  lips  and  put  her  gently  from 
him.  For  a  moment  she  stood  like  a  statue,  then 
with  a  lifted  face  and  hands  clasped  at  her  bosom,  she 
turned,  and  slowly,  but  without  a  backward  look,  left 
the  circle  of  rocks.  Through  the  opening  he  saw  the 
slave  come  up  to  her,  and  saw  her  motion  to  him  to 
fall  behind  —  another  moment,  and  both  dark  figures 
hud  sunk  below  the  brow  of  the  hill. 

Stronger  and  stronger  blew  the  wind,  louder  and 
louder  swelled  the  voice  of  the  forest.  Below,  the 
wash  of  the  river  in  its  reeds,  the  dull  groaning  of 
branch  grating  against  branch,  the  fall  of  leaf  and 
acorn,  the  loud  sighing  of  the  pines,  the  cry  of  the 
owl,  the  panther  and  the  wolf  —  above,  the  vast  dome 
of  the  heavens  and  the  fading  stars.  An  effulgence 
in  the  east ;  a  silver  crest,  like  the  white  rim  of  a 
giant  wave,  upon  the  eastern  hills  ;  a  pale  splendor 
mounting  slowly  and  calmly  upward  —  a  dead  world, 


378  PRISONERS   OF   HOPE 

—  all  her  passion,  all  her  pain,  all  toil  and  strife  over 
and  done  with,  —  shining  down  upon  a  sadder  earth. 

From  beneath  the  shadowy  banks  there  shot  out 
into  the  middle  of  the  broad  moonlit  stream  a  long- 
canoe,  followed  by  a  second  and  a  third,  and  turning, 
went  swiftly  down  that  long,  bright,  shimmering,  rip 
pling  path. 

In  the  last  and  smallest  of  the  three  boats  a  man 
rose  from  his  seat  in  the  stern,  and  with  his  eyes  upon 
the  line  of  moon-whitened  cliffs  above  him,  raised  his 
plumed  hat  with  a  courteous  gesture,  then  bent  and 
spoke  to  a  cloaked  and  hooded  figure  sitting,  still  and 
silent,  between  him  and  a  burlier  form.  This  canoe 
was  rowed  by  negroes,  and  as  they  rowed  they  sang. 
The  wild  chant  —  half  dirge,  half  frenzy  —  that  they 
raised  was  suited  to  that  waste  which  they  were  leav 
ing. 

The  black  lines  upon  the  silver  flood  became  mere 
dots,  and  the  wailing  notes  came  up  the  stream  faintly 
and  more  faintly  still.  For  a  while  the  echoes  rolled 
among  the  folded  hills  and  the  tall  gray  crags,  but  at 
length  they  died  away  forever. 


fiiocrsibe 


CAMBRIDGE,  MASSACHUSETTS,  U.  S.  A. 

ELECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY 

H.  O.  HOUGHTON  AND   CO. 


Date  Due 


PRINTED    IN    U.S.*.  CAT.      NO.      24       161 


000546064     7 


